Weapon X Japan
by enlu-tarsonis
Summary: What happens if Weapon X gets ahold of Ranma after he is badly injured. Now he has to reclaim who he is and deal with what he has become.
1. Prologue, first loss

Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
This story takes place shortly before Nodoka shows up in Ranma 1/2, and I am currently only drawing the Weapon X program from Marvel and am not sure if any other Marvel characters/people will show up [reasoning being that Wolverine was on his own long before he teamed up with the X-Men, so if Weapon X was to get a hold of anyone that they have a chance to change them and that the X-Men might or might not ever hear about the person]  
  
( ) = thoughts * * = Telepathy = Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons] [ ] = Authors description/explanation [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
**********  
  
In a lone computer lab in what appears to be an unfinished basement with concrete walls and exposed wiring, a scientist [with obvious villainous aspects] is overlooking a computer screen plotting out the course of something on a map of a town prefecture. It seems to be an erratic course leading over the maps that he has pulled up on his computer, tracing over the buildings and streets. Almost like tracing the path of a drunken bird.  
  
**********  
  
Rooftops of Nerima,  
  
Ranma is running over the rooftops on Nerima, occasionally looking around as if looking for something, or someone. Shortly after facing forward again he spots what he was looking for. Happosei, back from one of his latest escapades. Ranma leaps into the air and lands on the roof in front of the old pervert. "What did you think you were doing you old fart?"  
  
Happosei snorts and pulls his ever-present peeping mask from his face. Looking up at Ranma he snorts again, "Ranma my boy, what ever could you mean? I thought you'd be happy with my gift?"  
  
"Arggh, you old goat. Who'd be happy waking up in that... that... THING!"  
  
"Why any beautiful girl would," stated the obviously deranged old pervert, drooling at the memory of dressing Ranma-chan earlier that morning while she was asleep.  
  
Ranma hearing this and seeing Happosei's expression launched at him intent to clobber him.  
  
**********  
  
Mouse was wandering about rather depressed this morning; he had finally come to the conclusion that Shampoo would never love him. Of course though he had finally given up on Shampoo he wanted revenge on Saotome for ruining his chance.  
  
Putting his glasses back on his face he looks up and sees the target of his wrath talking to someone on the roof above him. Not knowing or caring about anything else he leaps to attack, pulling his sharpest Katana out of his hidden weapons space.  
  
**********  
  
Ryoga was lost again. Unknowing whether to choose Akane or Akari. Lost in thought he heard the sound of his most hated nemesis, Ranma. Looking up he sees Ranma talking to someone out of sight. Rage filling him, he jumps at Ranma uncaring of who might get hurt in his just revenge.  
  
"RANMA, For the HELL you've given me, PREPARE TO DIE!!!"  
  
**********  
  
Back in the dark computer lab the scientist grins as he plots three more lines onto his map, each leading towards the first line.  
  
**********  
  
Jumping forward at the old master of Anything Goes, Ranma is past caring about injury or pain, he just wants to finally defeat Happosei and be done with him.  
  
Happosei grins a malicious grin seeing Ranma's rage. (Heh, Ranma my boy you're way to young to defeat me. Oh well, time to humiliate you again, maybe this time you'll learn some manners.) Jumping up and rebounding on Ranma's head Happosei laughs feeling his wayward students aura become confused, then pained... (Wait a minute, pained? I didn't do anything to the lad yet.) Looking down from the apex of his jump he sees Ranma impaled from his right side with a katana sticking out of his chest, and on his right Ryoga wielding his combat umbrella having bashed in the other side of his chest. Ranma in his rage was unable to defend himself against the other two when going after Happosei.  
  
**********  
  
Pain, nothing but pain. Unable to breath, unable to think. Flashes of something. A fist, followed by a small firecracker. Some yellow colored cloth. Then darkness.  
  
Darkness followed by further pain... followed by a floating feeling, almost of being suspended in warm water.  
  
(Am I dead? Where is this? What happened?)  
  
Opening his eyes and looking around for the first time he sees a sort of cloudy covered room filled with what appears to be a green mist. Feeling around he notices that he seems to be suspended in an upright tank filled with some sort of green gel like fluid. Also he is wearing a breathing mask and seems to have some sort of wires stuck to his skin.  
  
Looking out of the tank he sees a man enter the room, the man is slightly hunched over and wearing a doctors lab coat and has messy hair and thick old style glasses on. Following the man into the room is the diminutive form of Happosei. Barely able to make out their form through the green mist that seamed to be hovering about the room the person residing in the tank saw them appear to be talking to each other. Then Happosei started to get angry and gestured at the tank. The man in the lab coat folded his arms and straightened up with an annoying smirk on his face and seemed to chuckle and shook his head in a decidedly negative fashion. In response to this Happosei shot forward and hit the man in his chest before bounding over to the tank and shattering it in one strike.  
  
Sound suddenly came to the man in the tank as the liquid washed away from him and down to the floor, carrying him with it.  
  
"Ranma, can you hear me?" Asked Happosei worriedly.  
  
"Ranma...?" The man looked at the little man guessingly, "is that my name?"  
  
**********  
  
Authors' notes...  
  
As if anyone ever reads these. This is just a teaser to get me started. I know where this is going, but am open to any advise / criticism / comments are appreciated. Flames will go the 7 levels of Hades where they belong [I mean, come on people if all you have to say is bad, negative, and out of context; shouldn't you just go on Jerry Springer and have your 15 minutes of fame and then get out of everyone's hair?] 


	2. Chapter 1, waking up

Weapon X Japan 01  
  
Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
This story takes place shortly before Nodoka shows up in Ranma 1/2, and I am currently only drawing the Weapon X program from Marvel and am not sure if any other Marvel characters/people will show up [reasoning being that Wolverine was on his own long before he teamed up with the X-Men, so if Weapon X was to get a hold of anyone that they have a chance to change them and that the X-Men might or might not ever hear about the person]  
  
( ) = thoughts * * = Telepathy = Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons] [ ] = Authors description/explanation [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
**********  
  
"Where am I?" He asked confusedly, "Who are you?"  
  
"Dang scientist, I told him to fix you not brainwash you. Well don't just stand there gaping like a fish my boy, c'mon we need to get out of here."  
  
"What do you mean 'we need to get out of here.'? Where is here, how did I get here?"  
  
Looking up at the taller man, Happosei came to the conclusion that he didn't have the time nor the energy to deal with the confused youth. Leaping up to hit his sleep point, the diminutive pervert was caught off guard that when the amnesiac boy lashed out and knocked the old man across the room without seemingly a thought. Rebounding off of the wall Happosei came at his charge from behind intent on a quick take down. Lucky for the grandmaster of anything goes his charge was still disorientated and was easier to hit this time around.  
  
Dusting off his palms on his maroon jumpsuit Happosei grabbed his charge and using his interdimensional teleport technique he disappeared from the lab before anyone could track them down.  
  
**********  
  
Back at the Tendo Dojo  
  
Akane is pacing around with a worried on her face. "Where is that jerk. He should've been back days ago."  
  
Word had reached the Dojo of Ranma's defeat by Happosei, Ryoga and Mouse. Figuring that he had disappeared for a training trip to recoup from his defeat the Tendo's had thought nothing of the missing martial artist. Of course after two weeks they were starting to get a little concerned. Well, Akane was concerned, Kasumi seemed to be oblivious, Soun and Genma bemoaned the ungratefulness of the boy to his honor, and Nabiki... well who knows what she really felt about the situation anyway [you kinda had to pay her to get any type of answer, everyone knew this after all].  
  
Ryoga had reappeared a couple of days after Ranma disappeared and was bragging to Akane about how he had defeated his rival in combat and how Ranma had cowardly fled the field after his defeat. Playing up to Akane about how skilled he had become and how everything was really Ranma's fault anyway had worked for a little while, but as all good things must come to an end he had left to the kitchen to get a glass of water and found himself in Madagascar.  
  
Since then Akane had been caught between anger at Ranma's disappearance and worry over what really happened. That and she kept playing Ryoga's words through her mind over and over. Trying to figure out what really happened.  
  
Hearing a door shut Akane went to the front of the house to see who had left or arrived without announcing themselves only to see Ranma looking slightly different in some indescribable way leaned up unconscious against the door frame and no one else in sight.  
  
**********  
  
After dropping off his charge at the Dojo Happosei left on a trip to try to figure out how to deal with the sudden change to his pupil. Figuring that he would think clearly after some relaxation with his favorite past time he lets out his battle cry "SWEETO!!"  
  
So after releasing some of his pretty darlings from their unjust imprisonment the old pervert was able to think clearly enough to contemplate what he is going to do about his student.  
  
**********  
  
Waking up in an unfamiliar room, an unfamiliar ceiling above him, an unknown set of cloths around his body the young man tried to figure out where he was and what he was doing there. Seeing no one around he sat up feeling his head contemplating what had happened. Drawing nothing but a blank past waking up in a tank full of some strange green liquid, he decided to instead of just waiting around for someone to show up for whatever reason to get up and discover for himself  
  
Leaving the room he came to a hallway that he didn't recognize. Looking left he saw a couple more doors, looking right he saw another door that was open leading into what appeared to be a washroom and further some stairs down to a lower level of the building that he was in. Deciding to first look at the washroom he entered to find mirror. Gazing into the reflective surface the man stared at his reflection seeing the face of a young man with slate blue eyes and a rough hairstyle looking back. Bewildered at his own reflection he didn't notice someone creeping into the room with him.  
  
"Well my boy, how are you today? Feeling different? Or perhaps wondering who you are, eh?"  
  
"Do you know who I am?"  
  
"I know who you were," Happosei said lighting up his pipe "who you are now is up to you." Taking a long drag from his pipe Happosei remained quite for a bit. "Yes, who you are now is most defiantly up to you. So boy or girl, choose your own path student."  
  
"What do you mean, 'boy or girl' old man"  
  
"Why this!" Happosei said with glee splashing the amnesiac man with cold water suddenly.  
  
Looking at his reflection as he felt his body change he saw gazing back in the mirror not a man with a strong build and rugged looks, but a beautiful girl with a perfect figure and crimson locks.  
  
"Wha... how?"  
  
"Something that happened in your past my boy. Something that you need to control, and something you need to come to terms with. I'll leave you with that for now." Happosei then put his pipe out and got a mischievous gleam to his eye, "now my boy unless you want to come with me to gather my pretties I suggest that you douse yourself with hot water and rest well. You'll need it in the following days." So saying the diminutive pervert jumped at the neo-girl and bouncing off of her chest (of course copping a feel along the way) and careening out the door. The sound of an outraged female heard from downstairs shortly following in the wake of his absence.  
  
"Weird, what do I do now?" Shrugging her shoulders and turning on the faucet the girl doused her face with warm water, feeling the change occur she started experimenting changing forms back and forth. Getting a feel for her body and then a feel for his. After a few minutes of this and changing back to a man, he decided to retire back to the room that he awoke in to think things through for a bit before exploring and finding others in the house to discuss what had happened to him.  
  
**********  
  
A little later in the living room the three Tendo sisters were having a meeting.  
  
"So what do you think happened to him?" Inquired the middle sister.  
  
"Don't know, probably was off with one of his girlfriends" huffed the youngest sister.  
  
"You sure about that Akane? He was passed out in entrance to our house, wearing some sort of hospital gown." The middle sister stated.  
  
"Yeah right, since when did he ever need to be in a hospital? It's probably just some way to keep us off balance."  
  
"I don't know about that Akane, Ranma's gotten injured before. I hope he's alright." Eldest sister this time.  
  
"Humph, it would serve him right. Right P-Chan?" Akane said while rubbing the little black pig into her chest.  
  
"I swear, you spoil that pig Akane." The middle sister stated a little crossly.  
  
"You're starting to sound like Ranma there, Nabiki. Honestly, why does everyone get so jealous of a pig."  
  
(if only you knew little sister, if only you knew) Nabiki thought getting up to leave.  
  
**********  
  
After some contemplation, with nothing coming to him, no epiphany's, no lucid moments, no sudden thoughts of clarity; just a blank slate of empty thought he decided to get up and go down stairs to find someone to talk to.  
  
Passing the bathroom once again he looked in the mirror. Rinsing his hands with cold water he felt the change come across him, now her. "Weird, am I a boy or a girl?" Thinking back on what the diminutive man that seemed to want to help him/her out she thought on what the guy had said, "'who you are now is up to you.' So who I am is up to me. So am I a boy or a girl." She said looking into her reflection, changing the water to hot "does it even matter?" she said while the change took place changing him into a guy.  
  
Stepping out of the bathroom and walking down the stairs he found himself in the lower level of the house. Looking around he saw a hall leading from left to right, on the left looked like it led to the kitchen, ahead of him was a rice paper sliding wall that was closed going to the right was a length of hall leading to closed door. Before he could move one way or another the paper wall slid to the side revealing a young woman with brown hair and a shapely build.  
  
Both looked at each other for a bit before the girl asked "Ranma, you going to get out of my way?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Nabiki brushed past him rather than deal with his incoherency.  
  
Looking at the woman as she was going up the stairs the man started to think (Ranma, is that my name? She knows me? What's going on.) Turning back into the room ahead of him he enters seeing an older teenager and another young woman sitting on a couch in front of a TV apparently just finishing up a discussion. Hearing a growling noise he looked at the lap of the teenage girl and saw a small black creature sitting there glaring at him.  
  
Wondering just what the problem with the critter was he spoke out without realizing it "what's his problem?"  
  
The girl responded in a real acidic tone "As if you didn't know Ranma, if you wouldn't pick on the poor little guy so much he wouldn't be scared of you."  
  
"What did I do?" Ranma responded with genuine confusion "Besides he doesn't look scared, he looks angry."  
  
"After all you've done to him I'm not surprised. Jerk."  
  
Ranma having enough of her attitude just decided that he was better off elsewhere. Waiving his hand in dismissal he walked past Akane and the other woman in the living room and out into the yard that he could see just past the doorway on the other side of the room.  
  
**********  
  
Still in the room Akane and Kasumi just stared at each other.  
  
"Was that really Ranma?" Asked Akane, a little shocked by his actions and attitude.  
  
"Oh my, I hope he's alright. He's not really acting like himself is he."  
  
**********  
  
Meanwhile just up the stairs a little bit and out of sight of the living room but not out of hearing Nabiki thought on what she just heard. (You're right Kasumi, he's not acting like normal. I wonder what really happened in that fight, nothing good if I'm guessing right. I hope that Akane doesn't do anything stupid in the meantime.)  
  
**********  
  
Looking around the yard Ranma was mildly impressed by what he saw. On one side was a well cared for koi pond with a large boulder and rocks surrounding it. Around the whole yard was a large stone wall protecting the property from outside inspection. Everything was well cared for and maintained by someone with an obvious high level of affection and skill. Whistling quietly he wondered to himself if this was where he lived, and if so, he admitted to himself it was a good place to live.  
  
**********  
  
Happosei came back without really working on his hobby, after all he really wanted to keep an eye on his student. Seeing him up and about in the yard of the Tendo property he decided to keep out of sight to observe him better. 


	3. Chapter 2, surfacing powers

Weapon X Japan 02  
  
Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
This story takes place shortly before Nodoka shows up in Ranma 1/2, and I am currently only drawing the Weapon X program from Marvel and am not sure if any other Marvel characters/people will show up [reasoning being that Wolverine was on his own long before he teamed up with the X-Men, so if Weapon X was to get a hold of anyone that they have a chance to change them and that the X-Men might or might not ever hear about the person]  
  
( ) = Thoughts * * = Telepathy = Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons] [ ] = Authors description/explanation [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
**********  
  
Silently observing his ward the diminutive master of Anything Goes thought back to what he had done, (My poor boy, how are you going to handle the future? Will you remember? Dang knew I should've stayed and made sure that he was healed correctly. I wonder what that scientist did to you.) "Heh, at least that fool Genma never heard of Weapon X before. If an idiot that's willing to train his only son in a foolish martial art like the Neko- Ken then he would've done anything to get the lad into the Weapon X program. Then I wouldn't have such a promising student to watch over." So saying [under his breath of course] Happosei continues to watch, drooling a little as Ranma goes over to the pond and splashes himself with some water to activate his curse. Ranma-chan now going thru some basic exercises in the yard seems to be gaining some increased speed in her kata, a bewildered expression on her face as she does things that she knows that she doesn't know. But going through things by muscle memory alone, rather than by conscious design.  
  
Happosei's eyes widen though as Ranma-chan then closes her eyes in apparent surrender to her art and seems to fade from view. (I know that she didn't just enter into the umisenken, so how is she phasing out of sight like that? She's defiantly not going to fast for me to see so why is she starting to look like a ghost?) Meanwhile while Happosei is thinking on this Ranma-chan unheeding on where she is continues on and starts moving towards the compounds walls. Happosei is about to call out a warning to her when she continues on her Kata literally passing through the wall. Every now and then Happosei can see a limb appear from within the wall as she continues her kata with in the solid confines of the stonewall. As she continues her kata she comes out of the wall and back to the place in the yard she started from. Opening her eyes she looks around, then looking down at her arms and body she seems rather amazed.  
  
Reaching a conclusion Happosei bounded down to her from the roof to the ground behind Ranma-Chan. "Ranma, do you know what you just did?" He asks in his most sage like voice, determined to keep any form of Awe or uneasiness from his words.  
  
"No, all I know is that it felt right to do. What was that by the way, I just started moving swinging my arms and legs around. It felt right, but how did I know how to do that?" Ranma-chan asks bewildered and slightly afraid.  
  
"It appears as if your body remembers your past, but your mind does not. However you did much more than swing your arms and legs around."  
  
"Then what did I do?"  
  
"If you'll follow me we need to talk, but not here in front of everyone." Happosei considered for a moment then looking up at the young woman, "Wait here for a moment, I need to make sure we're not followed." Bounding inside he starts saying something that is hard for Ranma-chan to make out but sounds suspiciously like "Hocha" and "Sweeto" followed by a loud crash. Straining to hear better she jumps back as a large Panda and a middle aged man wearing a brown dogi come running out of the house at top speed followed by the short old man who's yelling something about training and liberating his pretty darlings. A few minutes after the odd trio left the compound the old man bounds over the wall and lands near Ranma-chan, snickering.  
  
"What did you do to them?"  
  
"Just promised them that I would train them especially well, and that they could have some of the pretty darlings that we liberate on our training session."  
  
Ranma-chan just sweat-drops at this.  
  
"Well let's get going boy, follow me." So saying Happosei bounds over the wall into the street.  
  
Ranma-chan again sweat-drops, looking over at the wall 20 feet from her and 10 feet up. Happosei bounds back on top of the wall after a second, and looking down at her "C'mon boy, it's just a short jump."  
  
"But how do I jump so high?"  
  
"Easy just jump, it's like when you were swinging your arms and legs earlier, your body knows. Just let your body jump and you will."  
  
Ranma-chan stands there thinking about it for a bit then decided to just do it after all. So gathering her power in her legs she jumps.  
  
**********  
  
Inside Akane is fuming and Nabiki is looking rather shocked with her hair frazzled and her sweater and pants looking rather mussed up.  
  
"Honestly, why does he have to be such a pervert. And why won't our dad stand up to him." Fumed Akane.  
  
Nabiki continues to look frazzled then pulls herself together and starts to straiten out her clothes "dang, now I'm going to need to get some more underwear. How the heck does he do that anyway?" Getting up to go and do just that she walks by the window just in time to see Ranma-chan standing on the lawn in her black pants and a black tank top hunch down as if to jump and then literally disappear. Wondering what had happened she runs outside in time to see Ranma-chan fall down apparently from a great height and land in the ground. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Happosei sitting on the stonewall looking ready to fall off in astonishment himself. Meanwhile Ranma-chan is busy getting up out of the dirt, clumps of ground and grass falling off of her as she stands. Looking down at herself she frowns in disgust at the debris on her and her eyes loose focus for a second as the dirt just falls off of her, unfortunately for her, her clothes seem to fall through her as well leaving her naked on the lawn. While Nabiki and Happosei stare on astonished at this Ranma-chan blushes a bright red and almost vanishes in her hast to get re-dressed.  
  
Dressed once again she gets ready to leap, however not crouching like before and leaning a little towards the wall she's trying to leap to and jumps. Vanishing once again there is the sound of a crash and a dog yelping from a block away, which manages to wake Happosei from his shock. Shaking his head a little he disappears over the wall leaving a shocked Nabiki in his wake.  
  
(what the hell is going on?) Nabiki thinks to herself looking around and trying to see if anything else is going to happen.  
  
**********  
  
Getting up still slightly dazed, Ranma-Chan looks around her. She's in another yard, the top of the stone wall behind her is missing a chunk that's lying on the ground below it, and a small section of ground has been gouged out leaving a small trench leading up to where she landed, apparently crashed up against a dog house with a pissed off dog standing next to her growling and bearing his teeth. Quickly leaping strait up she finds herself at the apex of her jump staring down at the town several hundred feet up. Glancing around quickly before she falls to the earth again she sees the yard that she started from a couple of blocks away from the yard she landed in and the old man who's been helping her out just landing on the wall near which she was about to land.  
  
**********  
  
Quickly getting to place he was sure Ranma-chan had landed he hops onto the wall next to a large missing chunk that his wayward heir had taken out. Not seeing her immediately but seeing the slightly peeved Doberman and the crushed doghouse at the end of a small gouge in the ground he guessed that Ranma-chan had landed here and jumped again. As he was about to go looking for her again a blur falls in front of him and smashes into the ground inside the yard a few feet from the crushed dog house, startling the dog again. The dog apparently having enough decides to run towards the house and leave the strange intruder alone.  
  
"Dang, gotta work on that jump." Murmured the Red Haired girl as she dusted herself off this time, not willing to try to will it away like before lest she find herself naked again. Looking up she spots Happosei still sitting of the wall that she saw him on earlier. "so where do you want to go old man?"  
  
"Ranma, perhaps you should only try to hop rather than jump until we can get you re-trained a little bit." Happosei states, then pointing over to the other side of the yard "try a little hop over there please."  
  
Ranma-chan did a little toe hop using only her feet and not her legs to get her momentum, and only moved forward a few inches. Frustrated she tried again using the same motion but concentrating on getting over to the other side of the yard. A little sweat appears on her brow right before she leaps and then she disappears from where she was and reappears in the exact spot she was looking at.  
  
Looking, but not quite believing what he is seeing, Happosei jumps over to the wall that Ranma-chan is next to now. "Well, it looks like you've got a bit more than you know what to deal with. Think you can do that again?"  
  
"Yes" So saying she concentrates again and disappears, reappearing next to Happosei on the wall. "that gives me a headache though." Shaking her head a little "and it's disorientating."  
  
"well then try to make a very short jump over to that wall." Happosei states pointing to a wall 20 feet away.  
  
Ranma-chan bunches her legs a little, Happosei watching her intently with not just his eyes but his Ki senses as well is startled when she appears to stop being fully there in front of him a split second before she leaps. She makes the length of the jump easily but over shoots the wall by a few feet and lands in the yard on the other side. Quickly concentrating on being on the wall above her she disappears and reappears on the wall. Looking over at the old man she asks him "Do you know what is happening to me? How I'm doing this?"  
  
Affecting an air of wisdom Happosei crosses his short arms and looks over at his student, "Yes I know what happened to you, and I believe I know some of how you're doing this. Now that you've got some capability of jumping under control, lets get going again." Leaping away towards the North Happosei uses his Ki senses to track Ranma-chan following him, as before right before every jump she seems to fade from existence for a fraction of a second when she starts to leap.  
  
**********  
  
Back at the Dojo Nabiki is going through some of her surveillance recordings of the Tendo House and yard. Pulling up the latest digital recording of the back yard she rewinds it to right before she saw Ranma- chan disappear and then crash down on the lawn. She sees the pigtailed girl talking to someone off camera and crouch down to leap. Slowing the frame rate down to see exactly what happened, Nabiki's eyebrows raise a bit when Ranma-chan takes on a ghostlike appearance right before leaping and then blurring so fast that the camera can't properly follow her when she uncoiled into her leap.  
  
"That's some training you did Ranma. How did you get so good so fast. This will upset all the information I have on you, you know." Saving the recording and resetting the feeds she gets ready to call some of her cohorts to be on the lookout for Ranma, and have their camera's ready.  
  
**********  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
Thanks to everyone leaving the Reviews. It makes it a lot easier to get out any story when people are asking you to keep going. To answer a few of them quickly though,  
  
Sorry about the short chapters, I'm writing this in my free time right now [which I don't have much of anyway] And if I waited till I had 10,000 word chapters I'd never be able to get it updated more than once a year. I tried that on two other fanfics that I'm working on, called Namban Disaster and Wish Disaster. I'm trying to get those to be very long per chapter, but once I hit the 2000 to 3000 word mark I get some serious writers block. But if I write only that much then I don't have any problem cranking out some stuff.  
  
As to the Ranma Romance side of it. Still working that out, since I'm not sure as to whether or not I'll be drawing on any major Marvel characters. But one thing, I'm not going to get him together with Akane, Shampoo or Ukyo. It's been done, and done, and done, and done, etc... Actually most of the romance has been done to death in one form or another. But I'm not going to go with the conventional hookups in this one, at least not right yet.  
  
For the X-men/Cereboro comments. Yes you're right, when wolverine was first around it was about 1 in 10,000 was a mutant, and current X-men comics has about 1 in 50 to 1 in 100 people are a mutant. Doesn't that mean that it would be even harder for Cereboro to find a mutant in another country? By the way I'm drawing primarily form an Amalgam of X-Men Evolution (character style) and Uncanny X-Men (Weapon X program and storyline) but other crossover ideas are welcome.  
  
By the way I'm also looking for pre-readers or co-authors. I've got this fic planned out 10 more chapters and my other two planned out 20 chapters apiece. Just have problems with writers block when I try to get anything done quickly.  
  
Oh yeah, first one to guess Ranma's powers gets some serious kudos' (quick hint, they're not from Marvel.) And yes I will be going fully into Ranma discovering his powers, and no Happosei won't know what they are. He's got his suspicions, but no real experience with this. As to why he's helping out, well I'm taking the story arc path that Happosei is actually not what he appears, though a pervert and a letch he still is honorable. But he does put on an act to those he doesn't respect. [Plus put yourselves in his shoes, he probably has a blast-pissing people off, and the way he does it is actually rather harmless].  
  
Well, on to more items/writings/musing/etc... 


	4. Chapter 3, Emerging problems

Weapon X Japan 03  
  
Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
This story takes place shortly before Nodoka shows up in Ranma 1/2, and I am currently only drawing the Weapon X program from Marvel and am not sure if any other Marvel characters/people will show up [reasoning being that Wolverine was on his own long before he teamed up with the X-Men, so if Weapon X was to get a hold of anyone that they have a chance to change them and that the X-Men might or might not ever hear about the person]  
  
Ok, this is also where more of the X-Over aspects of this fanfic become apparent. Hopefully I don't lose anyone as I try to tie in a few characters from other universes and dimensions outside of the Ranma Verse. Also I am borrowing a character or two. I don't really want to do what many Fanfiction authors have done in the past and bog myself down with 50 60 characters from various dimensions. So unless I get many many requests from people I will probably only be borrowing one to three characters from any dimension/universe/continuum other than Ranma.  
  
( ) = Thoughts * * = Telepathy = Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons] / / = Machine Language [no not binary, machine people, it explains in the fic] [ ] = Authors description/explanation [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
**********  
  
In her room after an exhausting day attempting to follow the wayward martial artists, Nabiki relaxes and takes out a manga to get her mind off of things for a bit hopefully to regain a bit of mental acuity before once again tackling the problem that is her sisters fiancé' Ranma. After drifting off for a bit she starts to doze.  
  
Looking around Nabiki is startled to find that she is alone and that there is nothing other than darkness around her. Peering into the Void she sees what appears to be a light ahead of her. Gazing into the light [cheesy, ne?] she sees the beginning of stars begin to appear around her until it appears that she is suspended in space with unknown constellations. Right when she's about to say something...  
  
RRIIINNNGGGG!!!!!  
  
Startled awake Nabiki rushes to her phone, still shuddering and catching her breath from being suddenly awakened she picks up the receiver before it can ring again. "Hello, this better be good."  
  
"..."  
  
Nodding a bit "yeah, I understand."  
  
"..."  
  
Twirling the phone cord around her finger "uh huh, yep, look just tell me what you saw."  
  
"..."  
  
looking a little irritated "No that won't be necessary, and yes if your information pans out you'll get just compensation."  
  
"..."  
  
Getting a bit fidgety at the stalling on the other end of the line Nabiki starts to change to go out, "Ok, I'll believe you saw something a touch weird. Yes this is Ranma that I had you Track." Stepping out of her shorts.  
  
"..."  
  
"Get to the point, what did you see?" Quickly pulling her shirt over her head while maintaining her grip on the phone.  
  
"..."  
  
Removing her underwear while continuing to listen she almost drops the receiver as she falls onto her bed, "He did what? Not possible. No martial art could do that could it?" still a little stunned she scratches slightly under her breast.  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, you have tape to back it up don't you? I'll be right there." Nabiki then rushes out of her room intent on getting somewhere in a hurry. Only to almost run into the back of Genma as he was turning towards the stairs after leaving his room. Glancing down and realizing her state of dress the mercantile girl blushes a deep red then jumps back in her room before anyone can see her and quickly gets dressed. Mumbling under her breath something about stupid martial artists and Ranma had better be worth this she went downstairs. Leaving her room Nabiki had failed to notice a little black piglet hiding around the corner who went from being very embarrassed to being incredibly angry from what he over heard from Nabiki.  
  
**********  
  
Scene: Barren metallic room, light present, but no visible source, a single view port at one side but not visible entrances. The floor starts to flow upwards into what looks like a chair large throne or control chair, continuing to flow upwards after the chair stopped a masculine humanoid figure forms. Where the room is a cold metallic silver the figure in the seat is a smooth, chrome metallic green. Features form and black eyes appear in the face. His features further flow into the shape that seems to form like liquid flowing into a mold. Once his face is fully formed he blinks then looking at the screen he gestures with his right arm. The screen lights up with some starscape visible on it. The figure waves his arm around a bit as he's waiving it around the screen zooms in on a star or zooms out and then refocuses on another star. After a few minutes of this the creature seems to like what he sees and then motions with his left arm a bit which brings up some display statistics in an unknown geometric language on the left side of the screen. Grinning more he stands up, as he stands up the chair he was sitting in flows back into the floor.  
  
In the star system that he is monitoring some star ships are seen transversing the local space on various drives, some fantastical, some mysterious. One appears to be traveling on a plume of blue white fusion. Another seems to be projecting a quantum singularity [black hole] in front allowing the intense gravity in front of it to pull it along. Another appears to be an old WWII German Submarine with an actual propeller behind it riding a visible stream of energy that belts thru the solar system.  
  
While he is watching the display the sub is suddenly attacked by a trio of crystalline ships shooting some form of bluish energy at the hull of the ship. It turns in the galactic Ley Line and fires some form of pulsing purple black energy back at them followed by a volley of some sort of missile or torpedo. The trio of ships scatters from the purple black energy, but unfortunately two of them are taken out by the missiles before they can re-group. The third then retreats far from the bluish energy stream that the sub is traveling on.  
  
As he's watching a figure flows from the wall forming into a delicate female humanoid made out of a brilliant chrome blue. After fully forming including a full mane of hair she steps up to the masculine figure and leans into his body. He looks down and smiles at seeing the female next to him and reaches out his arm around her waist.  
  
/Love, there is our path./ He says pointing at the space sub. /Our daughter will have the nourishment and the guides that she needs to grow on that ship./  
  
/Then let us deliver her upon the Dwarves, and may they love her as we would./ She says starting to form into the floor by his side. /May her growth lead her back to the Matrix./  
  
/May her growth lead her back to the Matrix./ The male said watching his mate disappear into the floor before sinking into it himself.  
  
**********  
  
In a concrete room, with bad florescent lighting a figure is hunched over a computer console. He looks similar to the scientist that Happosei had attacked to free Ranma earlier except instead of black hair he has dark brown hair, as well as slightly blemished skin as if from too much acne in his youth. Also he is obviously of American decent instead of from the local gene pool. Appearing on the computer screen in front of him is a status report with the following read out:  
  
Weapon X, Japan Branch  
Field research on Subject 24601  
  
Subject 24601 is a Japanese Male approx. 16 years of age. Slender  
toned build, 66 inches in height, unknown weight. Seemingly  
undereducated and emotionally retarded or stunted from basic  
observation. Though appears to be trained to emulate various  
abilities and powers displayed by mutant kind. Perhaps an idiot  
savant of combat? Subject to be put in dangerous situation to allow  
Weapon X recon team Beta-5 to apprehend after injury for DNA/RNA  
Grafting and Replacement followed by cellular regrowth and repair  
utilizing Subject YOB1134 cellular samples. Rapid cellular growth  
acceleration in regeneration tank after DNA/RNA grafts to be placed  
in spinal column and central nervous system. Process to include all  
Dimensional Mass displacement technology available to Weapon X Japan  
branch, as well as full neural wipe and reprogramming for recognizance  
and wet works conditioning. Also include Temporal Displacement  
shielding and Phased Temporal Storage Retrieval System PTSRS-15C.  
PTSRS-15C to be properly outfitted after verification of conditioning  
for in field assignment.  
  
After reading the opening page summery of the subject, the scientist gets up and holds up a schematic of a human skeleton against another one. Frowning at the overlay he walks over to a drafting table where a series of transparent overlays are placed over each other. Each one is of various aspects of the human body, all perfectly overlap each other leaving the top one when down to appear as a perfectly human body. Flipping through 10 sheets he comes across one that is of no known human physiology though it appears to be an amalgam between the human nervous system and the cardiovascular system. Flipping further down leads to another unknown page of what appears to be an almost crystalline energy pathway diagram, although it is still within the confines of the human structure. Further flipping comes across a full cardiovascular diagram but of a mirror image to where the true blood pathways should be. Seemingly there are far to many sheets to accurately fit all of the human systems, by more than a factor of 10.  
  
Slapping the table to the side and scattering the diagrams the scientist growls out something in German. Coming to another table he looks down at another human schematic, but this one with a techno-organic look, as well as various slots grafted onto the skeleton as well small boxes throughout the entire muscular framework.  
  
Pulling out a pocket tape recording machine the scientist begins to speak fluent Japanese into the recorder, "With the failure to complete Subject 24601 and the loss of research data to even begin the project again Weapon X Japan branch must move on to the planned alternate human enhancement project. Still searching for suitable subjects to utilize in this program. Team Beta-5's contact to be considered untrustworthy due to his involvement with destroying the lab producing Subject 24601's enhancements. Contact if involved in any further altercations to be terminated on sight. Begin construction of alternate location to contain and alter later subjects for subsequent enhancement and reconditioning." Flipping off the recorder the scientist glances around the lab in disgust and storms out of the room.  
  
**********  
  
On the other side of Nerima, Happosei had arrived at the destination that he had thought of earlier when he had told Ranma that they should talk. It was a small-secluded glade on the outskirts of the town, trees enclosing the area and providing a good measure of privacy inside the glade from outside observation.  
  
Ranma-chan appears beside Happosei after she re-orientated from a miscalculated bound. Looking a very winded and her eyes slightly crossed from concentrating hard for an extended period of time she slumped to the ground in exhaustion. "We there old man?" She managed to wheeze out in between gasps for breath.  
  
"Yes Ranma, we've arrived at the location. I'll give you a few minutes to recover and then I'll return and we can discuss what is going on." So saying Happosei bounded out of the glade back the way that they came. Ranma-chan just stared at where the old man had gone and then fell on her back letting her exhaustion overwhelm her.  
  
**********  
  
The gang was just your average group of student delinquents, or so they looked. Bout 5 of them dressed in their school clothes, but they were leading a girl between them, she was of average looks with tear streaks leading down her cheeks and dressed in a female version of their uniform. She tried to bolt seeing the group lead her towards a secluded grove of trees up ahead.  
  
"Now now, we'll be having none of that Shiratori. You behave this time and maybe we won't have to whip you."  
  
Breaking down and crying again the girl just let herself be led into the grove in submission. Once there though she bumped into the back of the leader.  
  
Right before being bumped into however the leader of the gang had stopped because the grove wasn't empty like he thought. "Alright, now there's a beaut if I've ever seen one. Grab her before she wakes up boys." Two of the gang went over to the girl that they had found in the glade that they were planning to use for their previous fun. She was short and very busty, only wearing a tight tank top with no bra underneath and a pair of black pants, with fire engine red hair pulled back into a braid. As the two started to hold her arms down she groggily came to.  
  
**********  
  
Ranma-chan started to come awake as someone grabbed her arm. Twisting upwards and around as soon as she could she heard a snapping sound and some gasps, followed by an incoherent yell of pain.  
  
One of the people that had invaded her glade yelled something that she didn't make out. Two other people came up from behind him and one of them pulled out a wicked looking knife while the other pulled out a chain and started whipping it around. Ranma-chan looked at this and shrugged her shoulders, trying to figure out what to do. The guy with the chain whipped it forward in a quick revolution followed by a snap. Not bothering to block it [as well as being to much in though to let her body act on muscle memory/reflex] the chain hit Ranma-chan on her side tearing a gash in her shirt and pushing her down a little. The punk seeing this smirk untill he noticed that she wasn't acting as if she was in pain. The knife wielder jumped forward with a stab to take her down quick and she still hadn't reacted much when his blade punched through her shirt and seemingly into her. Looking down in amazement she steps back slightly watching the knife remove from her torso leaving no blood on the blade. Feeling down with her hand she sees a small scratch on her skin where the knife had entered her. The gang by this time seems to have enough. The leader taking out a small gun points it at her head and fires off one shot.  
  
**********  
  
Happosei was returning to the glade he had left Ranma-chan in to recover when he heard the sharp retort of a gun. Speeding up to get there he sees a girl in a torn dress running towards the town behind him and coming closer to the trees he observes two high school boys holding a third between them running as if all the shades of hell are after them. Following shortly after them are two others including one carrying a small revolver. Happosei having little like of most weapons anyways and extreme dislike of a dishonorable weapon like a gun takes out the kid with one happodaikarin and destroys the gun while the punk gets up and continues running yelling something about demons.  
  
Dusting his hands as he enters the glade he sees Ranma-chan starting to sit up from the ground rubbing her forehead. When she removes her hand from it he sees a small amount of skin that appears to be bruised and split over one of her eyebrows.  
  
"What the heck was that. It hurt." She mumbled while continuing to sit up.  
  
Happosei then notices the two gashes in her torso near her waist. Both have small scratches but no other blemishes present. "So Ranma, had a little run in with a gang?"  
  
"Gang? Was that what that thing was?" She asks while once again rubbing her forehead. "Dang, that itches now."  
  
"No the gang were the five boys."  
  
"Then what was that noisy thing that that boy pointed at me? It hurt."  
  
"That student was a gun. Not the most honorable way to take down an opponent."  
  
"oh."  
  
Not really knowing what next to say Ranma-chan sits back down on the ground. "So old man, why did you bring me here?"  
  
"To find out what you know, and to help fill in what you don't"  
  
"Well, I guess that my name's Ranma, and that I'm both a boy" now she motions to her breasts "and a girl. Also that I'm very strong, and that I somehow don't take much damage. And judging from those boys reactions that that is not normal."  
  
"No Ranma it isn't." Happosei sits on a rock and lights his pipe. "You were a 16 year old student of the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts untill a week ago. Now you will be who you want to be." Taking a drag on the pipe and then exhaling contemplatively "personally I'd like for you to continue the school but it is obvious that you will need to be re-taught even the basics, not to mention any of the advanced forms."  
  
"So what do I do now? I don't remember anything before waking up in that tank that you found me in."  
  
"Well, first I recommend that you try to find out whether you want to continue your old life. Won't be easy, and you have several girls, and a few guys out to get you in more than one way. Or you can leave here and find another path. Your choice."  
  
"Humph, some choice. Guess I'll at least try my old life for a bit and see if it's worth it."  
  
"You'll find that it does have its rewards, but try to keep your new abilities a secret. I'll help the family accept that you have no memory. It's the least I can do now."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"It means that watching you almost die, and then trying to help you recover I have wronged you. Now I owe you a debt, and I will see that debt released before I pass on."  
  
"How did you wrong me?"  
  
"Doesn't matter now, but either way the old Ranma is dead. I'll try to explain everything that I can so that you can at least fit in a bit. Make yourself comfortable, this will take awhile."  
  
**********  
  
Author's notes:  
  
This one took a bit longer than I thought, however it is also longer than the previous. As I gain experience they will become longer yet.  
  
Yes I'm getting ready to start the actual crossovers now [outside of weapon x] I'm actually hoping that someone can pin where I'm drawing some of the crossovers from though. I've seen more Anime series than I can count, and I've read more Books than I can keep track of. As such I've got a huge repertoire of characters and dimensions to take from. I'll be compiling a key or glossary of X-Overs and Characters once I reach 20,000 words for this fanfic, If anyone has an idea where anything comes from [Powers included] please post it in the reviews. Also if anyone wants an explanation or a posting at the end of the chapters please e-mail me and I'll try to explain.  
  
TTFN 


	5. Chapter 4, Beginning Decisions

Weapon X Japan 04  
  
Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, Rifts, TSR or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
This story takes place shortly before Nodoka shows up in Ranma 1/2, and I am currently only drawing the Weapon X program from Marvel and am not sure if any other Marvel characters/people will show up [reasoning being that Wolverine was on his own long before he teamed up with the X-Men, so if Weapon X was to get a hold of anyone that they have a chance to change them and that the X-Men might or might not ever hear about the person]  
  
Ok, this is also where more of the X-Over aspects of this fanfic become apparent. Hopefully I don't lose anyone as I try to tie in a few characters from other universes and dimensions outside of the Ranma Verse. Also I am borrowing a character or two. I don't really want to do what many Fanfiction authors have done in the past and bog myself down with 50 60 characters from various dimensions. So unless I get many requests from people I will probably only be borrowing one to three characters from any dimension/universe/continuum other than Ranma.  
  
( ) = Thoughts * * = Telepathy = Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons] / / = Machine Language [no not binary, machine people, it explains in the fic] [ ] = Authors description/explanation [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
**********  
  
In a rustic old fashioned tavern, perhaps seen in many a town hundreds of years ago a large tattooed bald man wearing leather armor and carrying a large sword strapped across his back was sitting down at a wooden bar sipping a frothy liquid from a earthenware mug. All the while talking to something sitting on the counter in front of him. Upon closer inspection it is seen that he is talking to a tawny colored hamster that is contentedly munching on a piece of bread.  
  
Watching this man from the other side of the tavern is a auburn haired young woman wearing a cloak hiding what she wears underneath who is also fingering a dagger, spinning it around on the tip of it's blade on her index finger.  
  
**********  
  
Walking along a dark passageway is a older fellow, perhaps 4 feet tall or so, he has a bulbous nose, a long gray beard, and is wearing an odd mesh of hard leather armor with technology seemingly woven in or patched on. He has a pair of goggles resting on top of his head with some odd colors blinking on the side of them and some form of writing flashing across the front of them, though it is not discernable from this angle what is written. Strapped across his back, perhaps on a larger man a better size comparison but on this dwarfish man it seems almost ludicrous, is a large black and gunmetal gray techno rifle. Actually rifle is probably an understatement, this looks more like a shoulder mounted cannon, you know, the type used to take out star craft and large tanks.  
  
Strolling up to the end of the corridor the dwarf unslings his cannon and gently setting it down to the side he reaches out to a power panel while taking some tools out of one of his many pockets. Using the tools he quickly takes off the cover to peer inside. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary he pulls his goggles down over his eyes and a startled expression is on his face shortly as he jumps back grabbing his cannon on the way. Swinging the muzzle of the monstrous weapon around in a quick arc he levels it at the wall just under the panel. The wall under the panel then slowly dissolves into a clear blue puddle of some sort of liquid on the floor that re-forms into a small humanoid shape, almost female in form she looks up into the eyes of the dwarf and then speaks.  
  
"Father?"  
  
********  
  
In a glade located on the outskirts of the Nerima Ward of Tokyo a dwarfish old man in a dark purple dogi can be seen talking with a very beautiful crimson haired young woman who has some gashes in her black tank top, and a visible cut on her stomach seen through her ripped shirt. She's slowly fingering said cut as if in deep thought and un-aware of what she is doing. The old man is looking at her fingering the wound and inches forward. Pulling her hand back from the wound he mutters something.  
  
"What'd you say old man?"  
  
"I said 'interesting'"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because your wound is still unhealed. I would've thought that Weapon X had given you regenerative powers or at least some form of armoring. But looking at your wound it appears as though a knife only lightly sliced you. Though from what you told me he had stabbed you." He then backs up and sits down on a rock a little bit a ways from her. "I don't know what to make of it."  
  
"Oh well, by the way thanks for informing me a little on my past, but... umm how do I need to act when around the others? After all as you've said I act different than they're used to. Won't they notice a difference?."  
  
"Yes they will, especially Nabiki and Kasumi." Shrugging his shoulders and getting up to leave. "If you want to attract the least attention then you'll need to stay as a guy most of the time."  
  
"But it's easier to remain as a girl, after all I get splashed with cold water all the time. It's not often that I get splashed with hot water."  
  
Glancing back over his shoulder as he's leaving "yep, and the old Ranma hated his girl form. And many would think it's odd if you all of the sudden started to like it."  
  
**********  
  
At the Nekohauten things were happening as normal, at least on the surface. Underneath there was a level of tension that hadn't been before. Cologne was working in the kitchen by herself as usual, and Shampoo was out serving the customers. However there was a chipper ness that was missing from Shampoo's face and Cologne seemed to be wearing a permanent scowl. Curiously missing was a certain "Mr. Part Timer" that was often used as a whipping boy by the two prideful Amazons.  
  
**********  
  
At Ukyo's Okonomiaki Ukyo Kounji was in the process of serving up her last client that was in the store when she looked up and saw someone entering her establishment. Seeing that it was Nabiki Tendo walking in the door she hand motioned for Konatsu to change the sign from open to closed. Nabiki came up and sat at the counter and waited patiently for Ukyo to finish up with her customer who took the Okonomiaki to go and left.  
  
"What can I do for ya sugar?" Ukyo asked Nabiki when she just sat there with her hands crossed in front of her, seemingly in contemplation.  
  
"A trade in information perhaps Ukyo?" Nabiki stated finally taking her eyes from her hands and looking the chef directly in the eyes.  
  
"What type of info?"  
  
"The Ranma kind."  
  
"I'm all ears. Has he returned? Is he alright?" the chef asked showing excited concern.  
  
"Yes, and yes." Nabiki then motioned for Ukyo to take a seat next to her and swiveled the seat to face the chef. "Now that I've answered some of your questions, you answer mine. When was the last time you saw Ranma training, and what was he training on?"  
  
Ukyo sat there for a minute in contemplation before looking back up at Nabiki "He was working on a new speed technique, however that was a few months ago. Why?"  
  
Nabiki thought for a second then got up turning to go. "No reason, just confirming something." Then she left while Ukyo was a bit confused by her cryptic statement.  
  
"Mistress, would you like me to follow her and report on what I observe?" Konatsu asked from directly behind Ukyo.  
  
Jumping a bit from sudden voice behind her "Damn it Konatsu I've told you about sneaking up on me like that." Calming down and straitening her clothes a bit "Yes please do. I need to know what's going on with Ranchan."  
  
The slight male kunoichi moved quickly up the stairs to the upper floor of the shop and then Ukyo could sense him no more as he quickly moved beyond her senses after leaving the building from the upper level.  
  
**********  
  
Nabiki was deep in thought while heading back to the Tendo Dojo. Not really paying attention to her surroundings she walked into the house intent on finding out what had really happened to Ranma.  
  
(Okay, Item 1 Ranma disappears for two weeks  
Item 2 Ryoga shows up bragging about how Ranma had been defeated  
Item 3 Mousse show up very disturbed and demands that I help him  
to get away from the Amazons, more importantly he pays a  
handsome sum to get me to forge new identities.  
Item 4 The Amazons haven't shown up to demand anything, not even  
Ranma's disappearance.  
I really need to write this all down and go over it on paper.)  
  
Ending her thoughts she goes upstairs and to her room where she starts to write everything down verbatim to what she had thought earlier  
  
Okay, Item 1 Ranma disappears for two weeks  
Item 2 Ryoga shows up bragging about how Ranma had been defeated  
Item 3 Mousse show up very disturbed and demands that I help him  
to get away from the Amazons, more importantly he pays a  
handsome sum to get me to forge new identities.  
Item 4 The Amazons haven't shown up to demand anything, not even  
Ranma's disappearance.  
Item 5 Akane has not attempted to find or tag along with wherever  
Ranma has disappeared to.  
Item 6 Ranma returns, but isn't acting like normal. Barely responding  
to his name let alone any questions it's like he's someone else  
but that's impossible.  
Item 7 His strange new jumping ability. Even recorded he's to fast to  
make out.  
Where are the common denominators.  
Questions:  
Q. 1 Where was Ranma  
Q. 2 Is Ryoga responsible?  
Q. 3 What happened to Mousse.  
Q. 4 How does this affect the Tendo Dojo.  
  
Putting her notepad away after writing down everything to her content she decided to let it lay untill some form of inspiration showed up.  
  
Getting up and heading downstairs she fails to notice P-chan entering her room behind her.  
  
**********  
  
Ryoga-buta had just wandered upstairs when he heard Nabiki get up from her desk in her room in frustration. Wondering what had got her so frustrated he decided to enter her room and look around. Easily finding her room, and even easier finding her desk he jumped up and started to nuzzle around the desk looking for anything important. Finding nothing he got up and went to the closet to see if she kept anything in there of importance.  
  
Snickering while rooting around the closet at the idiocy of some of the people that he's encountered he laughs as well about how dense all of them are. After all it was too easy nowadays to find his way. Several months ago he had wandered upon a shrine that had helped him to cure himself of his directional curse so that he could find his way anywhere he wanted to. Better yet though they hadn't been able to cure his curse, they did help him to gain control of it through some meditative techniques. He could now shrug off the effects of water on his cursed or natural form, and though he still required water to change, it was now a conscious thought rather than some kami's whim that he change form pig to man or vice versa. Heck he had now even gotten over his nose bleeding problem, courtesy of Akane taking him into the bath a couple of weeks ago. Better yet she had been a little bit out of sorts after having some strange dream and didn't realize that she had brought her pet into the bath with her.  
  
P-Chan as usual had gone into a corner to watch her change and go through her bathing ritual when to his surprise he had witness her start to rub down her breasts and groin while moaning out loud. Resisting the urge to jump into the furo and turn back into a man to properly please his beloved he decided to stay and watch her. After a few minutes both of her hands had wandered down to her the cleft between her legs. Moaning out Ranma's name she convulsed a little and then settled down with a blush on her face.  
  
Ryoga had been furious with this. Even after his defeat and subsequent death his nemesis still haunted him. Why couldn't the fiend stay dead. At least he hadn't recognized him when he was snuggling in his dear Akane's arms. Oh well, he managed to defeat his foe once before, he'll manage to do so again.  
  
While still rooting around in the closet he hears the door open, quickly jumping up onto the top shelf of the closet and hiding behind a shoebox he listens to whoever entered the room.  
  
**********  
  
Nabiki enters her room again after raiding the fridge for some ice cream. Closing the door behind her she sits down at her desk and pulls out a cell phone from one of her drawers. Quickly dialing a number she glances down on her desk while waiting for the person she called to pick up the other end of the line. Looking closer at her desk she realizes that everything has been moved on it. As she's quickly re-arranging everything on the desk to where it's supposed to be the person picks up.  
  
"This is Nabiki."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, the first part was deposited in your account."  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, I'll download your recording." Nabiki turns on her computer.  
  
"..."  
  
"No, I haven't seen it yet. I'm still booting up my computer." She starts to tap her foot, a bit annoyed by the time it's taking to start up her computer.  
  
"..."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
"..."  
  
"You already had it analyzed? Great, I'll go ahead and deposit a larger sum if the information pans out." Nabiki stands up and heads over to the closet. P-chan hiding in the top shelf scurries back a little bit trying to stay out of site as she gets closer.  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, give me the address." Nabiki grabs a notepad from the bottom of her closet and quickly jots down a string of numbers.  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes I'll check it out as soon as it loads, a bit impatient aren't you?" She closes the closet door, not noticing that it had been open before.  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, I'm starting to download it. Look why don't I just do my own analysis and compare it to the notes that you've compiled on the subject and I'll give you what you're due." Nabiki opens up a web browser and enters the same string of numbers that she jotted down a minute ago in the address bar.  
  
"..."  
  
"No need to be testy. How about this, I'll call you and discuss payment further after I've seen and evaluated the recording." She moved her cursor around the site a little bit and selected a file that she started to download.  
  
"..."  
  
"Okay, I'll call you in no less than an hour." Nabiki then closed the flip plate on her cell phone and put it down on the desk next to her computer. Loading up the imagery from the download once it finished she pulled the window displaying the imagery to the side of the monitor and the text analysis to the right side so that she could view both at once.  
  
Looking at the image she notices first that there is a digital run counter on the bottom of the page. The view overlooks a yard the camera is pointing at a doghouse with a bored looking dog sitting inside. With no sound playing Nabiki can't be sure if anyone's saying anything, and with the slight jerky motion of the image she assumes that the camera is handheld rather than mounted. After a few minutes of this a blur smashes into the ground to the right of the doghouse, it slides into the doghouse destroying it in the process, looking almost like a cannonball taking out a poorly fortified bunker.  
  
Still not quite sure what she saw was real Nabiki hunches forward on her seat to get a better look at the screen.  
  
On the screen she can see that the dog had barely gotten out in time, though not entirely unscathed since his hindquarters sported a real nasty gouge that was starting to bleed. The camera suddenly takes a sharp angle and is lying on its side, but still facing out to the yard. A girl that Nabiki quickly recognizes as Ranma-chan gets out of the wreckage of the doghouse and dusts herself off. She looks around in confusion for a bit before speaking to someone off screen then leaping away so fast she appeared to disappear. Nabiki was about to rewind it to slow down the imagery when she double-checked the time on the display.  
  
"Wait, it couldn't be..."  
  
Quickly pulling up another file, Nabiki checks the time on the recorded image against the time on her personal surveillance equipment for the recording that she had made earlier of Ranma-chan leaping and falling to the ground.  
  
"Ranma managed to move from our yard to this one in only a matter of seconds?" She stated out loud with a look of disbelief on her face.  
  
Then glancing down the analysis of the recording she finds the address of the yard. Gasping out "Impossible!" she pulled out a map from her desk and located the two addresses on it measuring the distance against the key on the corner.  
  
"He'd have to have been going in excess of 80 kph to reach that yard so quick."  
  
Hearing a thump from her closet she whirls around and finds P-chan moving around in a pile of her shoes. "So that's how my desk got messed up." Picking the pig up by his bandana collar she hollers out her door, "Akane, I found P-chan, could you come and get him from me?" Setting the pig down on her lap and petting him behind the ears she starts to view the other image clips that she was sent by her benefactor. Before they could load up and play for her Akane barged into her room without knocking.  
  
"Nabiki, Have you seen Ranma?" She exclaimed out of breath.  
  
"Not since he left this morning," she then holds out P-chan "by the way here's your pig."  
  
"Thanks Nabiki. He hasn't been back home since he disappeared this morning. Do you think he's running away again?"  
  
"No not really, maybe he's just out training." Nabiki then turns on a screen saver so that Akane can't see what she's got displayed on her computer and swivels in her chair to look directly at her sister.  
  
"It would be just like that jerk to show up at home and then leave without so much as a hello." Akane states, starting to fume a bit. "Why can't he be more like Ryoga, why's he got to be such an idiotic jerk." Nabiki refuses to comment at this but just cocks her head a little waiting for Akane to continue on her diatribe. Instead though her sister just sits down on Nabiki's bed and pets P-chan while sulking. "Akane, as much as I enjoy your presence, why don't you go out for a bit. I'm sure that Ranma will be home later, you can ask him then where he's been."  
  
"Ok Nabiki. Just please keep him here untill I get back if he shows up. I'm tired of him running away and I need to talk to him." She then gets up and leaves the room with P-chan cuddled in her arms.  
  
Nabiki gets up and closes the door behind her sister (Cowardly huh? Probably been listening to Ryoga too much. Dang Akane, you're going to miss out if you can't start to trust him.) out loud this time Nabiki states in a contemplative tone "maybe you should try to date Ryoga? Nah, he'd get lost before they got to the date." Waiving her hand in dismissal she sits back down at her computer to continue analyzing the data she received.  
  
**********  
  
"Father?"  
  
Lowering the barrel of his gun from the small humanoid female the old dwarf wondered what it was.  
  
"Are you my Father?" she asked again in an almost pleading tone, managing to look adorable in a very waif like fashion.  
  
"Little one, I am no ones father as yet. But I may be yours if ye so desire." He said his heart going out to the small creature.  
  
Jumping up in glee the little humanoid girl ran up to him and hugged his torso. Looking down at the translucent figure that stood no higher than his waist the old dwarven veteran pushed his goggles up on his head and lowered himself so he could look the girl child in the eyes. "Child, if I'm to be yer father I need to know yer name."  
  
"Name, what's that Father?" She said in an innocent voice.  
  
"It tis what one is called little one. And since you are blue as a gem you shall be known as Sapphire." He said while putting down his cannon and picking her up underneath the arms. Holding her at arms length he gazed at her body, memorizing what she looked like. "If not for yer glass-like appearance I'd almost suspect that ye be a human girl." Putting her down and picking up his cannon to sling across his back he motions for her to follow him back down the hallway he came from. "No we can't be havin ya walking around in yer altogether now can we. Let's see what we can dredge up from the ships stores now shall we?" he said while the pixyish little Sapphire followed along beside him.  
  
"Father, where are we?"  
  
Looking down at his new adoptive daughter "We're in the Dwarven Ley Sub Yggdrissel. The pride of the UWW."  
  
"What's a Ley Sub Father?"  
  
"It is a ship that can carry us across the vast ocean of space little one. A very ship of the Stars."  
  
"What're Stars Father?"  
  
"I see that yer going to be a pleasant person to teach my little Sapphire. I will explain as much in time as I may. Untill them, lets get you dressed shall we?"  
  
"Father, what's dressed."  
  
**********  
  
Ranma-chan was slowly walking back to Nerima. Not bothering to roof hop or to use her abilities to speed up her progress she trudged along thinking towards the future. (What am I going to do? I can't remember a thing past yesterday. Do I want to go back? Do I want to leave?)  
  
Interrupting her thoughts is a loud blaring horn.  
  
To startled to move Ranma-chan just stares at the truck as it barrels down at her. The truck, to heavy to stop quick enough plows into the hapless girl, bowling her over and tossing her light body to the side onto the sidewalk. Groggily getting up Ranma-chan notices that her right arm hurts as well as her right hip. And she can feel something liquid flowing down the right side of her face. Hands force her back down before she can get up and a light is shined directly in her eyes. Some people dressed in white with armbands on their left arms with a red cross and with similarly adorned helmets start ordering people back. One of them is the person shining a light in her eyes. Another leans forward with some sort of mask and puts it over her face.  
  
**********  
  
Nodoka Saotome was practicing in her back yard when she heard the phone ring. Coming out of her kata gently she sheathes the sword she's using in a smooth practiced grace and hurries into the house to answer the phone.  
  
"Saotome Residence" She states picking up the receiver.  
  
"..."  
  
"What do you mean my daughter is in the hospital?"  
  
"..."  
  
"I'm sure that this is a misunderstanding." Nodoka is becoming a bit agitated, but still showing much concern in her worried expression.  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes I do have a child by the name of Ranma,"  
  
"..."  
  
"No he's a boy."  
  
"..."  
  
"Positive identification? Matching fingerprints?" She is becoming a bit scared, and baffled at this point.  
  
"..."  
  
"Very well, I'll be down shortly."  
  
"..." Nodoka starts to jot down some information on a note pad.  
  
"Thank you, I'm sure this is a misunderstanding, but the poor girl will still need some guidance."  
  
Going to her room Nodoka quickly removes her training garb and replaces it with a conservative kimono. Picking up the Saotome honor blade on her way out she closes the door and walks down the street.  
  
**********  
  
Back in her room Nabiki was still going over some of the footage of Ranma- chan that she had received. Opening up the next video clip, as well as the corresponding analysis she's surprised to see just a forested area. Because of the way that the camera had panned mid way through she was sure that it was using a telephoto lens. As it zooms onto a group of teenagers wearing the uniform of the neighboring school district it is obvious that the 5 boys are dragging an unwilling girl with them to the grove of trees that they were heading to.  
  
Watching as they entered she noticed a small purple blur at the corner of the screen. The blur zipped around to the side of the grove and disappeared into the trees. After a few moments the girl that was being dragged into the trees stumbles out of them and runs towards the town. A couple of minutes later one of the boys flies out followed shortly by 3 of the others, one being helped out by the other two since it seemed that he couldn't walk unassisted. Then the fifth street punk slowly backed out holding a gun pointed back into the glade. After he was several paces from the grove, he turned and ran as if all the hounds of hell were on his tail. Reading the analysis Nabiki fast-forwarded about an hour and sees Happosei walk out of the grove and then turn into a blur as he sped towards the city. Following him out was Ranma-chan but with a torn shirt and a bruise on her forehead.  
  
While she was gently rubbing her forehead she walked towards the city, the camera panned trying to follow the girl into the city. After tracing her path and being blocked by a couple of buildings the camera was able to pick her up as she wandered into the street not paying attention to her surroundings. Nabiki moved to the edge of her seat and gasped in fear for the pig-tailed martial artist as she saw a moving truck barring down on her. Seeing Ranma-chan get hit almost broke her asunder, and seeing her body flung across the street to rebound off of the far building Nabiki was sure that there was no way that the slight girl could survive the impact. While biting her hand she watched as people off the street attempted to get her lying down comfortably and straightened her out. One person was about to check her pulse when some paramedics showed up and leaned over her and started to try to stabilize the girl. One put something over her face when she tried to get up on her own and she lay back down not trying to fight to get up any more. The paramedics then put her on a stretcher and carried her off to a waiting ambulance. Shortly after that the image clip ended. Biting back her tears and sobs she started to read the analysis on the imagery and almost swallowed her heart when she read the speed that the truck had been traveling at. Picking up her cell phone she dialed the number of her contact quickly.  
  
"Yeah, this is Nabiki." She managed without sounding like she had been crying.  
  
"..."  
  
"Can you confirm the speed that the truck was traveling at in the end clip?"  
  
"..."  
  
"No it is hard to believe. I wouldn't have believed it myself."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes I'm reading the end report, do you know which hospital she was taken to?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Very well, I'll deposit the rest of your funds to your account. Plus a suitable bonus. I look forward to working with you in the future Gosunkugi."  
  
**********  
  
Downstairs in the kitchen Kasumi is preparing dinner for the household when the phone rings, carefully cleaning her hands and going over to the phone she picks up the receiver "Hello, Tendo residence."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes there is a Ranma Saotome living here."  
  
"..."  
  
"No he hasn't returned today."  
  
"..."  
  
"Oh, My. Is she alright?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes she lives here as well."  
  
"..."  
  
"Her name is Ranma as well."  
  
"..."  
  
"Their father lives here."  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, I'll make sure that they find out."  
  
"..."  
  
"Thanks, have a nice day. Good bye." Hanging up the receiver Kasumi then goes back to fixing dinner. Shortly afterwards Akane comes into the kitchen looking like she's searching for something.  
  
"Can I help you Akane?"  
  
"I'm looking for P-chan, have you seen him around?"  
  
"No I haven't."  
  
Akane the stops looking around the kitchen, "who was that on the phone Kasumi?"  
  
"Just someone letting us know that Ranma won't be home tonight. By the way, dinner will be ready soon. Please let everyone know."  
  
"What's he done now. Bet he's off with some girl." Akane fumes as she goes in search of the rest of the family.  
  
**********  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
None yet, waiting for pre-readers and reviews. Then I'll re-post this with notes.  
  
TTFN 


	6. Chapter 5, a Gathering of Foes

Weapon X Japan 05  
  
Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, Rifts, TSR or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
This story takes place shortly before Nodoka shows up in Ranma 1/2, and I am currently only drawing the Weapon X program from Marvel and am not sure if any other Marvel characters/people will show up [reasoning being that Wolverine was on his own long before he teamed up with the X-Men, so if Weapon X was to get a hold of anyone that they have a chance to change them and that the X-Men might or might not ever hear about the person]  
  
Ok, this is also where more of the X-Over aspects of this fanfic become apparent. Hopefully I don't lose anyone as I try to tie in a few characters from other universes and dimensions outside of the Ranma Verse. Also I am borrowing a character or two. I don't really want to do what many Fanfiction authors have done in the past and bog myself down with 50 60 characters from various dimensions. So unless I get many requests from people I will probably only be borrowing one to three characters from any dimension/universe/continuum other than Ranma.  
  
( ) = Thoughts  
  
* * = Telepathy  
  
= Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons]  
  
/ / = Machine Language [no not binary, machine people, it explains in the fic]  
  
{ } = Demongogian  
  
^" "^ = Recorded or replayed conversation.  
  
[ ] = Authors description/explanation [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
**********  
  
Onboard the Yggdrissel, the old dwarf Pimp was on his way to pick up Sapphire from her training on the bridge. Looking forward to some one on one time with her he reflected on the months that had passed since finding his adoptive daughter. Onboard an interstellar exploration and research vassal that meant that they had traveled a long way, both physically and mentally in the case of the little Sapphire. She was no longer the see thru pint sized little gem like when the old dwarf had found her, but was obtaining a glassy translucent quality to her body. She now appeared as a 10-year-old human girl with elfin features and though it was of the same material as her body she had a mane of long thick hair that she kept tied in a ponytail behind her. Often dressing in slacks or coveralls when on duty she was free as could be at other times. Pimp still had trouble teaching her to remain clothed in humanoid company and she would remove said articles of clothing the second she had a chance to complaining that they constricted her movement and that it felt like she was stuck in a mental fog when dressed. The old dwarf would've just let it be if not for the fact that she was anatomically perfect for a human [if one ignores the fact that she appears to be made out of gemstone or something equivalent] and as such the humanoids on the ship had asked the veteran if he can try to train her in some amount of modesty. Shrugging his shoulders and continuing onto the bridge Pimp decided that Sapphire will be Sapphire, and that all he could do was enjoy raising his adoptive daughter to the best of his ability.  
  
Sapphire was currently reading some star charts on the bridge under the supervision of the Gurgoyle astrogator of the UWW Space Sub Yggdrissel. The Gurgoyle in question was named Drssil, and had grown to like the perky and always questioning star found girl. She looked up at her teacher and smiled pointing to a cluster of stars and then chatted a small incantation that had the effect of causing a vast webbed network of lightly glowing luminous lines to appear overlaid on the chart. Then pointing to one of the lines she muttered another arcane word and a glowing red dot appeared. Drssil was pleased with this, after all he'd only been teaching her the ways of Magical Astrogator for a week, and already she had the cantrips of ley navigation and stellar charting down. Perhaps another week and she could even take up a position on the watch. Though it would probably be another few months before she could plot a course through battle safely.  
  
Pimp walked onto the bridge and surveyed it quickly before entering. Towards the far end was the view screen, currently offline with a battle magus and a Promethean working on it. Off to his left were the combat control seats, currently empty as the ships gunners were not needed untill an emergency. A little further on was the science/magic station where the magical probes of the sub as well as the more mundane technological methods were used to explore nearby space, there was one person there a tall crimson skinned beauty named Locke. She was the ships Science Magus in charge of any discoveries as well as the complex spells and sensors that the Yggdrissel implemented in its forays into the galaxy. Directly in front of him was the C3 platform [Central Command Control] where the second in command stood her watch. She was a slight humanoid girl with an Asian cast to her features and if you ignored the metallic angelic wings protruding from her back you'd almost mistake her for human. And finally off to his right were the astrogation consoles where his daughter Sapphire was standing on a chair casting numerous cantrips over the astrological display under the menacing but ultimately benign presence of the renegade Gurgoyle Drssil.  
  
Walking up to Drssil, Pimp didn't show any hesitation of standing next to a being that he only came up to mid thigh on and tapped the Gurgoyles shoulder with his cannon to get his attention.  
  
{Touch me again with that Plasma Cannon again and I'll shove your "Hooker" where the life tree may never see.}  
  
"Tch tch Drssil, tis good ta see ye too. How be young Sapphires lessons old beastie?"  
  
{Impudent Dwarf, must you mock me at every turn?}  
  
"Ye know I do so only in the best of humor."  
  
{Very well, I will accept your statement.} Drssil then waives towards the table that Sapphire is working on. {Your young one is learning quick, another month or two and she will know all I can teach.}  
  
"Then it'll be time to send her onto Cryx, and see if she can gain the attunement necessary to defend herself and others with weapons." Pimp says while gently holding his gun.  
  
"You two do know you don't need to talk about me as if I'm not here" Sapphire said from her chair in front of the astronavigation board. Turning around on the seat she looks at the two of them, "So what next Drssil?"  
  
{Next you rest, even I can tell that you are worn from the day. I will see you a few shifts from now.} Making a shooing motion towards the gemlike girl and her adoptive dwarven father Drssil goes back to observing the flowing magic's on the display.  
  
As Sapphire and Pimp move towards the entrance to the control deck she pulls down the jumper top and ties it's sleeves around her waist enjoying the freedom of movement her upper torso now has as her father just shakes his head at her impetuousness. "I tell ye, ya need to have a bit more modesty youngster. You may not care who sees yer flesh, but many a race may take you at their whim if they gain view of your fair body."  
  
"Oh father, what does it matter. Besides none on this ship would ever dare to take advantage of me, especially staring down the barrel of 'Hooker'."  
  
"Aye, that be true. But never the less, ye need to be a bit more conservative."  
  
Quickly shucking the rest of her garment leaving her completely nude Sapphire tossed the garment at Pimp's face and stuck her tongue at her father before turning and streaking off down the corridor.  
  
"Oh, but she belongs in forest glades running among other nymphs and satyrs. Not out among the stars with an old veteran." Pimp then tucks Sapphires coveralls into a belt pouch and leans on his shoulder cannon and mutters in dwarven, "One day I wish for her to find someone wild and free enough to be with. Perhaps a mate, perhaps a young one of her own." Feeling a vibration on his back the dwarf reaches behind him and pulls out an ornate axe with a gemlike smoky green blade and a rune encrusted obsidian and leather handle. "Yes she will be great one day."  
  
"..."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"..."  
  
"Very well, I'll see what I can do. But doncha be gettin any funny idears now, I'm not bout to start d-hoppin just to find someone who'll more likely than not be dead by the time we find him now am I?"  
  
"..."  
  
"I agree. K, Sorenno, we'll go. I'll be talkin to the captain then and turn in my leave papers." Putting the Axe back on his back it slowly fades from sight as the dwarf slowly ambles down the corridor towards his next destination.  
  
**********  
  
In a sterile room a red headed girl was sleeping soundly, the comforting beeping of diagnostic equipment heard lightly in the background not affecting her slumber. For her own modesty she was covered up to her shoulders by a white sheet with her arms on top and a small black finger cap on her left middle finger with a wire coming off of it and leading into a small machine sitting on a table next to her bedside. She also had a respirator on her face leading to a rebreather sitting on a table on the other side of her bed, with it's rhythmic pumping of air coinciding with the rise and fall of her chest.  
  
Walking into the room was a middle aged woman in a lab smock carrying a clipboard leading another middle aged woman that was dressed in a fancy kimono and carrying a wrapped bundle. "Ms. Saotome, here is your daughter."  
  
"I assure you that I don't have a daughter, there must be some mistake." Nodoka said while entering the room.  
  
"Actually her fingerprints match up with Ranma Saotome's fingerprints, and she was carrying a wallet with id's for said person. I can only assume that sometime in the past your son had gotten a sex change. Because this girl meets all the medical profiles and identification of your son."  
  
"Very well, I shall see her. But what could have happened?"  
  
"I don't know, she was brought in by paramedics this morning." The door opens again and a man in a tan overcoat comes in with a hat in hand.  
  
"Good evening ladies." He says with a small bow to the two women in the room.  
  
The woman in the lab smock turns to him bowing in return, "Good evening officer. What can we do for you?"  
  
"Is this the room holding Ranma Saotome?"  
  
Upon hearing this Nodoka gets a worried look on her face wondering what is going on she asks, "What is wrong officer?"  
  
Looking at her the officer pulls out a wallet and flips out an ID card holding it for Nodoka to observe. "I'm with the JSDF, we are currently working with the local authorities looking for a suspect currently at large. Miss Saotome was last seen with him. I have come to ask her some questions before turning her over to the police."  
  
"Why would she be turned over to the police sir?" Nodoka asked her heart going out to the unconscious girl on the bed. After all even if the girl wasn't her child for one so young to be a criminal was wrong in her eyes. And if by some weird twist of fate she was it was up to Nodoka to help protect and raise her.  
  
"She and her father Genma Saotome are wanted on several outstanding warrants dating back up to 10 years. Though for some of it seeing her age and also her very apparent gender I would guess that it was Genma Saotome that was using her name when the warrant was issued."  
  
"Oh, and can I ask what those warrants entail sir?"  
  
"Petty larceny, Petty Theft, grand theft, the list goes on. And you are?"  
  
"I'm her mother." Nodoka said standing slightly in the way of view between the JSDF Officer and Ranma-chan.  
  
"Can I ask then why she's listed as a boy on the family registry?" he asks waiving his hand towards the unconscious girl.  
  
"I'd like to find that out as well as what is going on. I haven't seen my child in ten years, after my husband disappeared with her."  
  
"Okay, looks like your husband must have a lot to answer for. I'll have a guard posted outside the door untill she wakes up and I have a chance to ask some questions."  
  
"Thank you officer, if I may, I'd like some time with my daughter in private." Turning to the lady in the lab smock as the JSDF Officer leaves the room, "May I inquire as to why she's unconscious?"  
  
"She was given a mild gas sedative when the paramedics were not able to get her to settle down after her accident to prevent her from injuring herself. She's actually very lucky to be alive, let alone relatively unharmed. We couldn't find any major breaks or otherwise in her bones, and she only has mild road abrasions."  
  
"Could you leave me alone with her?"  
  
"Yes, if you need anything please push the nurse call button." With that the woman left the room closing the door after her.  
  
Nodoka looked down at the resting girl. "What has happened do you, are you my son Ranma? Or are you someone else." Sighing, she sat down on the chair next to the bed and pulled the red heads hand into her own.  
  
**********  
  
Running down the street, followed by a large dog was a little black piglet wearing a spotted yellow bandana. Attempting to stay ahead of the dog the little porker wasn't paying attention to where he was running. After several minutes of running Ryoga-buta thought that he had lost the Canine so he stopped to look around. Not recognizing where he was the little pig was about to turn around and try to retrace his steps when a menacing person wearing a lab coat and glasses picks him up by the bandana.  
  
"Well, well, what have we here?" putting the pig on an examination table in the lab that Ryoga-buta entered the scientist held him down while injecting something into him.  
  
**********  
  
Nabiki was on the move, after watching the recording and determining what ambulance had picked up Ranma-chan she grabbed her stuff and got out of the Tendo house to meet with some of her contacts. Flipping out her cell phone she typed in a string of numbers and held the unit to her ear.  
  
"..."  
  
"Sayuri, when you get this message go to the hospital in Yamate. Call my cell when you get there. Also bring your recording gear. We may need it." Closing her cell phone Nabiki continued walking to a nearby bus stop. Not having to wait long for the bus to arrive she got on and paid her fair. After a quick ride found Nabiki at a general hospital where she entered the Emergency room and went up to the check in desk.  
  
"Scuse me, was there a red haired girl brought in this afternoon?"  
  
The receptionist looks up at Nabiki and closes out something on her computer before replying. "Yes, and you are?"  
  
"Her fiancé's sister. Could I go in and see her?"  
  
"Yes she's down that hallway, inquire at the nurses station there please."  
  
Nodding her head towards the receptionist Nabiki walked down past the Emergency entrance and past ICU and continued on to inpatient care. Walking up to the desk she asked the nurse what room Ranma was in and got pointed further into the ward towards a door that had a police officer standing guard out front of. Shrugging her shoulders about certain pig- tailed martial artists she went up to the room to enter. The guard stopped her out front and demanded to know who she was and what business she had in the room. Answering like she had at the front desk Nabiki was reluctantly allowed into the room where she found Ranma-chan unconscious in a bed covered only in a sheet with an older woman who had to be related holding her hand. Coughing quietly into her hand to get the woman's attention she gently closed the door.  
  
"Can I help you miss?" The woman asked of Nabiki looking up at her.  
  
"Actually I would ask you the same ma'am. I was wondering how you knew Ranma."  
  
"If she is indeed Ranma Saotome, then she is my daughter." Nodoka answered with a melancholy expression.  
  
"Hi, I'm Nabiki Tendo. The Sister of Ranma's Fiancé'." Nabiki said bowing formally to the older woman.  
  
"May I ask you a question then?"  
  
"Go ahead ma'am."  
  
"Has Ranma always been a girl?"  
  
Blinking a moment Nabiki came out of her startlement of the question to answer. "No, and there is a lot you need to be aware of about your daughter. I take it that you want to know why Ranma is a girl and not a boy?" Nodoka nodded her head in answer. "She is under a curse that she gained in China. When she is splashed with cold water she turns into a red headed girl. When splashed with hot water she turns back into a boy, the boy you know as your son." Looking at the older woman's incredulous expression Nabiki continued, "I'd demonstrate here, but I don't want the hospital or government knowing about his curse. His life has trouble enough as it is."  
  
"Tough?"  
  
"I'll explain later if that is alright." Their conversation is interrupted by Nabiki's cell phone ringing. "Just a second." Opening up her cell phone, "Hello?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Very well, you have the button cam?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, then stay in the foyer with a good view and record anyone entering for now. I'll call Kurumi and Sayaka to relieve you if this takes long."  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, I'll except that in trade."  
  
"..."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Closing her phone and looking over at Nodoka Nabiki noticed that the older woman had a rather curious look on her face. "Insurance, as I said earlier, Ranma's life is rather hectic. Do you know when she'll be allowed out?"  
  
"No, but a JSDF Officer was inquiring as to when she woke up to question her about her and her father."  
  
"What'd uncle Genma do to get wanted by the Government?"  
  
"I don't know what my husband did, but I will find out."  
  
**********  
  
Ryoga awoke to an odd sensation of floating. Not quite sure what was going on he opened his eyes. In front of him was a bright light from what appeared to be a ceiling light, not much to it, just a normal light bulb in a cement ceiling. Trying to move his head to the right he finds that he can't work any of the muscles in his neck, glancing to the right with just his eyes though he is able to see the top of a file cabinet. To his left he sees some more cabinets and the top of a door. He can't make anything else out.  
  
"Finally awake I see."  
  
Hearing this Ryoga tried to sit up but couldn't.  
  
"Don't try any further. There are neural blocks in place to prevent you from moving. Wouldn't do to have you leave before we're able to test your abilities now would it?" The voice said moving from somewhere below him to his side. Glancing to the right again with his eyes Ryoga is able to make out the form of a man. Judging from the disheveled hair and the slightly dirty glasses that he could make out the man looming over Ryoga was probably a scientist or a doctor.  
  
"I bet you are wondering what I'm going to do with you?" A beep is heard and then Ryoga starts to feel some sensation again. Though oddly enough only above his shoulders. Turning his head slightly he looks to see who his captor is. "You're not going to try anything brash now, are you?" Shaking his head negative Ryoga took in what he sees. The scientist is wearing a pristine lab coat with a button up shirt underneath, and gray slacks below. Oddly enough though he is wearing a belt that seems to be made of some techno-organic mesh, otherwise the man would fit into any lab or hospital that Ryoga new about. And with his ability to get lost [controlled now] Ryoga has seen many labs and hospitals.  
  
"I found you running into the loading dock of my building, course you weren't in the form you are currently in."  
  
"How'd yo—"  
  
"Doesn't matter, suffice it to say that I did. And since I needed a new project after my old one got away..." he stated opening his arms wide as if to accommodate something or to welcome someone. Putting his arms back down the scientist wandered over to one of his workstations. Almost completely out of site from the former lost boy he starts talking again. "But unlike last time I think I want a willing subject. It'd make the process harder, true. Though the project would probably not be in as much jeopardy." Turning around and coming back into view. "You are a willing subject, are you not?"  
  
"What do you want with me? What do you mean willing?"  
  
"I mean, are you going to go along willingly. More to the point, will you follow orders."  
  
"It depends on what those orders are." Ryoga stated, starting to get a cold gleam in his eyes as he feels that the scientist is toying with him.  
  
"First, to go thru an enhancement process. It will be painful."  
  
"And second?"  
  
"Second is the elimination, or subjugation of prior subject 24601, formerly known as Ranma Saotome."  
  
**********  
  
Groggily waking up to a fuzzyheaded feeling Ranma-chan wondered where she was. Opening her eyes slowly to the hazy light of the room she turned her head to look at where she was.  
  
"Look, she's waking up."  
  
Glancing around the red head was able to find the speaker, an auburn haired woman wearing a formal kimono. Next to her was a young woman that looked familiar wearing a blue blouse and dark business slacks. "Who're you?" Ranma-chan asked looking at the woman sitting next to her as she sat up, feeling the sheet fall down around her waist. Seeing the woman start to blush and turn her head away Ranma-chan looked down and saw that she wasn't wearing anything. Quickly pulling the sheet up to cover her breasts the girl found herself blushing as well.  
  
"Since when do you have any modesty Ranma?" Asked the young woman.  
  
Ranma-chan was curious at this. Not remembering where the woman was from, or even how she knew her was a bit annoying. Looking at her Ranma-chan asked, "Do I know you?"  
  
"You should, you're engaged to my sister."  
  
The auburn haired woman turns in shock to this, looking at the younger woman standing behind her "did I hear you right, your sister? How did this happen?"  
  
"Well, there are some things you need to know about your daughter. Like she's also your son."  
  
"So this is Ranma then?"  
  
"Yes, I'll explain later. If you need anything, I'll be outside." So saying the woman turned around and left the room. Leaving a confused Ranma- chan and Nodoka behind. Nodoka turned back to Ranma-chan, a loving although questioning look to her features. "Ranma? Is that you?"  
  
"I guess so, are you my mother?" Ranma-chan asks, not quite sure how to feel.  
  
"Yes, I am. Though I wonder how did you become like you are? Why would you want to have a gender change?"  
  
"It wasn't by choice mother."  
  
"Then there was an accident?"  
  
"No, I can change back if you want."  
  
"What do you mean, 'change back'?" Nodoka asks a questioning and confused look almost permantly fixed in her expression.  
  
"Hot water. I guess. I change into a girl with cold water, and back into a guy with hot. Why?"  
  
"How did this happen?"  
  
Ranma-chan sits there thinking back on what Happosei told him earlier. Thinking on the best way to tell her mother she decides on the blunt approach. "Happened about a year ago I guess. Fell into a cursed spring in China. Now I'm cursed." Thinking for a second she continues, "though I don't remember it. I'm sorry that you have to see me like this mother. I guess that since I was born your son that seeing me as your daughter is something of a shock."  
  
Nodoka starts to tear up a bit, her expression becoming sad she leans forward and embraces her son turned daughter and starts to cry, "I'm just glad to get my son back in any form. After your father Genma disappeared 10 years ago I had just about given up hope of ever holding my child again." Breaking down further, Nodoka wasn't able to continue talking.  
  
Ranma-chan wasn't sure what to do at this time, since she had no recollection of her past, or who her family was she didn't know what to say. After a short while Ranma's distraught mother was able to recollect herself and leaned back a bit. Looking at her daughter in the eyes she breaks out in sobs again. Finishing her last emotional outbreak Nodoka composes herself and dabs at her face with a small handkerchief. "I'm sorry for breaking down like that Ranma. I guess that we have a lot to catch up on. Is it true that you're engaged?"  
  
"Not that I know of."  
  
"What do you mean, Nabiki just told me that her sister was engaged to you."  
  
"Who's Nabiki?" Ranma-chan asks, cocking her head to the side slightly.  
  
"She's the woman that just left the room."  
  
"I thought that she looked familiar, I think that I saw her earlier this morning."  
  
"How could you forget who you're engaged to?" Nodoka asks  
  
"I don't remember anything mother. I barely know my own name, let alone what has happened. I can't remember past just a little bit ago. I'm not sure I want to with some of what I've heard about my life."  
  
Pulling the girl towards her Nodoka rubbed her back gently at first and then embraced her in a hug. "That's alright. If you want you can move in with me as soon as you are released from the hospital. We can work together to help you out."  
  
"I'd like that." Ranma-chan then backed up and looked at her mom again. "But what about my past? How will I deal with that. I'm sure that I don't want to leave everything behind."  
  
"Miss Tendo told me that you lived at the Tendo Dojo in Nerima. That's not to far from the Saotome Estate. You can live there, and we can integrate what you want when you want it." Nodoka looked thoughtful for a second. "However this hospital accident will make things difficult for you."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"You've been registered as a girl here, and this is your first government documentation since you were taken by your father 10 years ago. As such they're going to insist that you are a girl not a boy." Clapping her hands quickly Nodoka seams to cheer up a bit. "Maybe we can do that after all." She mutters to herself and gets up and starts to pace around the room a bit. "Ranma-chan, how much have you been told about your past?"  
  
"A little bit by Master Happosei." Nodoka shudders at the mention of his name. "Why?"  
  
"Because if you have amnesia, and otherwise we can get you under my custody and postpone any engagements or otherwise that you are in."  
  
"Why would you want to do that?"  
  
"So that we can get your life back in order. And so that I can get to know you. As soon as you are out I want to see my son, and I'd like to get to know both sides of you."  
  
**********  
  
Sitting across the hall from the door, Nabiki closes a laptop computer and folds a small device that had been hooked up to the computer up and puts it in her pocket. (So, taking Ranma from our home. And he's amnesiac, that explains some of his actions.) looking over to her left at the girl sitting there, "Thanks Sayuri. Here's a bonus." Nabiki opens up the laptop a little and puts a small fold of cash on the keyboard before closing the laptop again. "Forward the sound file that you recorded to my account. Also please look up the address of Nodoka Saotome. Thanks." Sayuri then leaves and Nabiki continues to sit outside the hospital room. Shortly after the other girl left Nodoka exits the room and walks up to Nabiki. "Miss Tendo, could you please help me out with something?"  
  
"Yes Mrs. Saotome. Would you like to talk in the cafeteria?"  
  
"Yes that would be great." Turning her head to the police officer standing next to the door, "Sir, could you please send a nurse if my daughter wakes up? I'll be in the cafeteria."  
  
"Yes Ma'am. I will be notifying Lt. Kojira as well Ma'am."  
  
"Very well, Have a good day Officer." So saying Nodoka and Nabiki made their way down to the cafeteria.  
  
********  
  
Luckily for two women wanting privacy in the cafeteria it was relatively empty. Other than themselves there were two other people in there, the serving person, and what appeared to be an orderly or a nurse. Nabiki was sitting across from Nodoka in a secluded booth at the far end of the room sipping a coffee while the other woman was drinking tea.  
  
"So Mrs. Saotome, what can I help you with?"  
  
"I need to know as much about Ranma's life as well as her past. As well as anything about Genma that you can tell me."  
  
"And what type of compensation can I expect?"  
  
"Are you a private detective?"  
  
Taking a sip of coffee and staring over the rim of her cup Nabiki replies "Of a sort." Putting the cup down and leaning forward she continues "I broker in information. I have standard fees and rates. Because you'll soon be family, or if not then my family will owe yours I'll give you a discount. But since I back up all my info as well as give in the form desired by my clients I still need to cover costs of gaining information."  
  
"How can I be sure that you have up to date information as well as the accuracy?" Nodoka asked letting her curiosity overcome her. Before responding to this Nabiki pulls out her cell phone and dials a number. Waiting a few seconds she then starts to carefully speak into the receiver so as to not let Nodoka overhear. Then touching a couple of buttons on the phone Nabiki places it on the table in between them. A conversation can be heard but slightly until Nabiki presses another button.  
  
Nodoka's Voice ^"Can I help you miss?"^  
  
Nabiki's Voice ^"Actually I would ask you the same ma'am. I was wondering how you knew Ranma."^  
  
Nodoka's Voice ^"If she is indeed Ranma Saotome, then she is my daughter  
  
Nabiki's Voice ^"Hi, I'm Nabiki Tendo. The Sister of Ranma's Fiancé'."^  
  
Nodoka's Voice ^"May I ask you a question then?"^  
  
Nabiki's Voice ^"Go ahead ma'am."^  
  
Nodoka's Voice ^"Has Ranma always been a girl?"^  
  
Shutting the phone Nabiki looks back up at the older woman. "I trust that answers your question on whether or not I can obtain and verify information. I will let you know my fees at a later date. Tell me exactly what you are looking for, and I will recover the information. Once recovered, in as timely a manner as possible, I will contact you and Ranma at your location with a meeting time and place. When agreed upon then we will meet, have at least 50,000 yen. Price will either be in that 50,000 or will be agreed upon before information exchange. Are we in grievance Nodoka Saotome?"  
  
Nodding her head the Saotome Matriarch responds in the affirmative. Nabiki reaches into her jacket and takes out a small recorder and turns it off. "Now that we are in a verbal contract I'll let you know some information up front. Your husband appears to be a con artist, and a child abuser. My family does not know where Ranma is right now. He had turned up missing 3 weeks ago and only just returned before the accident that occurred that placed your child in the hospital. They will remain in the dark as long as possible. You need to take Ranma to your place of residence and take care of him. He needs some real support, and not the type he's been receiving at the Tendo household or by his father. Expect violence when any one in the NWC, also known as the Nerima Wrecking Crew, hears about his whereabouts. And before you ask, I owe him a lot. More than even I realized before today. Other than that I will tell you nothing of my reasons for doing this."  
  
Nodoka takes a moment to digest this information then asks, "will I obtain a recording or printed material of this information?" Nabiki nods then continues herself, "Yes you will. I will contact you in no more than two weeks. Please be ready by then. And if you have any protection other than Ranma or yourself, contact them. Some of the people that have made themselves a nuisance to Ranma will be looking for him and don't care who gets hurt in the crossfire. Have a good day Mrs. Saotome."  
  
********  
  
Happosei was gallivanting around the town of Nerima in search of the elusive silky darling. Not finding to many of his pretties that were wishing to be released from the vile servitude that they were in he decided to return to the Tendo Dojo and find out what was going on and whether or not his wayward pupil had returned yet. Arriving at the house the old man jumped on the roof over the kitchen and crawled down the wall upside down to peek into the room to see what was going on. Hearing a cry of outrage behind him he glanced just in time to catch a mallet to the face knocking him into LEO away from the Dojo. In the air the diminutive pervert flipped around to glance at what had hit him and found Akane sitting there fuming and yelling something while her mallet disappeared back to wherever it stays at when not in use.  
  
Turning his attention back to his flight he flips around and guides his path towards the bathhouse that he spotted at the top of his arc. Crashing into the roof of the building Happosei made sure that he was angled to land in the woman's side of the house. The roof providing a much needed distraction for him, Happosei managed a grope of a generously endowed woman who what standing up at the moment. Quickly jumping off of her slick chest he rebounds onto the bare rear of another woman. Groping her and feeding off of her chi a bit he leaps from her onto the front of another woman.  
  
"Hmmm... Bikini Wax, not a bad job." He states, feeling up her front before the woman has a chance to recoup from the sudden explosion of their roof. The woman that he's plastered to her front whips around quickly covering herself in the process. The old man just jumps onto another woman's breasts that had uncovered for a moment as she was grabbing a towel. Catching a quick feel Happosei imparts much wisdom upon her before hopping off, "Hotcha."  
  
Coming down off of his perverted high the old master of perversion leaps onto one of the exposed supporting struts of the building. Looking back at the building before bounding off he decides to visit a little mischief on a prior student of his. "You can bill the damages to Genma Saotome. Find him at the Tendo Dojo. Tata my pretty ladies." Saying so, he leaps off the building and rebounds a few times off of a few walls before coming to rest on a bus that was stopped at an intersection.  
  
********  
  
Coming slowly to awareness a youth pondered his existence. More accurately the youth was sitting there trying to figure out how to move his limbs, which felt vastly different than before. Walking into his plane of sight was the scientist that was working to make him more than he ever was. "And how am I to control this change, let alone use it to defeat Saotome?" The youth said waiving his right arm up at the doctor, it's silvery sheen apparent to any who bothered to look.  
  
"You'll gain enough control in time. I have some exorcises for you to do to help you regain fine motor control of your new body." Reaching out for a clipboard the scientist started to jot down some notes. "You'll be happy that due to the nano-plague reconstruction of your cellular make up that you are no longer cursed."  
  
"Well, at least I have that going for me. But what about the shifting control that you mentioned earlier?"  
  
Uttering a low throaty chuckle before answering, "you now have complete control over every aspect of how your limbs and to some degree your body react. How about this, close your eyes and imagine your right finger gaining an edge. Now concentrate on the fine honing of that edge. Picture the elongation that will happen as your finger becomes a finely crafted blade. Now open your eyes and look at your hand."  
  
Ryoga looked at his hand ready to prove to the scientist that he had only gained a reflective silvery sheen to his arms and legs when he let out a gasp of surprise. "Wha.. How?"  
  
"I told you before the injection. You were injected with a nano-plague virus that has the capability to re-structure and re-make a human being. However they must be before a certain age and they have to be able to handle their body undergoing drastic change. Hence why you were a perfect candidate for the procedure. My group has targeted 2 other ideal candidates. After you have destroyed subject 24601 then you will be required to bring them in for experimentation."  
  
"And why would I do that? I only agreed to this to obtain my revenge on Saotome."  
  
"Because if you disobey me or the company that re-made you we will send a signal to the nano-machines now inhabiting your body and tell them to deactivate. I'm not entirely sure what would happen then. But suffice it to say that it wouldn't be a pretty site." Leaning over the hapless youth the scientist grinned maliciously adding "But I'm sure that it'll be the least of your worries."  
  
********  
  
"I told you mom, I'm fine."  
  
"I'm only concerned about you Ranma, I know that you don't remember anything, but that doesn't mean that you can just forget about all your responsibilities. And no son or daughter of mine will behave incorrectly."  
  
"But mom, do I have to wear a dress?"  
  
The front door to the Saotome household opened inwards, entering the house was Nodoka dressed in her normal kimono. Following behind was Ranma-chan dressed in a light blue sundress and carrying a purse as well. The small red head had a slight blush on her face and a stern but cute pout on her features.  
  
"Now Ranma-chan, you should know not to hit people like that."  
  
"Mom, that boy was trying to look up my skirt. He was a pervert."  
  
"Boy's will be boys Ranma. Besides I'm sure that you had wanted to look at a few women's undergarments at one time or another. It's perfectly healthy thing for a young man to want to do."  
  
"If you haven't noticed mom, I'm not a man before. And what was wrong with my other clothes?" She said folding her arms under her breasts.  
  
Turning around to look at her son turned daughter, "Your clothes were blood soaked and shredded. I will not have a child of mine dressed so shoddily. Besides, you were registered as a girl at the hospital and unless you want every government scientist or conspiracy theory nut after you trying to figure out how your curse works you'll be going around as a girl for a bit untill we can figure out how to deal with the confusion." Nodoka walked into another room leaving the crimson haired youth pouting in her wake. Returning a moment later she found her daughter plopped down in a sullen huff on a couch in the living room.  
  
"Ranma-chan, is it only the lack of choice that has you upset? Or do you truly regret being a girl."  
  
Looking down at herself for a minute Ranma-chan looked her mother strait in the eye before answering, "I guess it's the lack of choice. I want to say when I'm a guy, and when I'm a girl. Besides I don't like this dress, it makes me feel like I'm naked from the breasts down."  
  
Nodoka giggles a second then setting down the bundle she had retrieved from the other room, "Here, these are some of my old traveling clothes. I think that they'll fit you."  
  
Raising an eyebrow at the materials Ranma-chan pulls up the top garment to find something of a cross between a gi top and a button up shirt. "I used to travel around while you and your father were on your training trip. I found that clothes like that allowed me to look feminine and move along in case of emergency or attack quite well. I'll show you how to put them on."  
  
********  
  
Nabiki, not having returned home yet, was just sitting down at a bar in some sort of club. It was currently closed as shown by the good lighting and lack of people. Behind the bar was a large man dressed in a Victorian English garb polishing some glasses. "Malakai, you requested to see me?" Turning around you can make out an English cast to his features, as well as the fact that he stood above 2 meters an had a girth to match. Nabiki had also always loved the blond hair and blues eyes of the foreigner, wanting to know more about him, but not willing to give any ground herself. "Yes, I did."  
  
Unfortunately for Nabiki, Malakai always played his deals like this. Mysterious, and short answers. Never telling all he knew and keeping people guessing. Course after dealing with him for a bit made her know the value of the façade that he put on. She had only found out about it as a mask when she had come into the club later than usual and some customers had entered before she could conclude her business.  
  
*** flashback ***  
  
Less than 10 minutes had she spent there when a fight had broken out. A woman had entered with a young man and had started to hit him after he said something to her. Rather than retaliating the youth had just sat there and cowered as the woman beat on him. Malakai being not just the bartender, but also one of the bouncers as well had bounded over the counter and put his hand on her back as if to turn her around. She appeared to get tired all of the sudden and then Malakai's eyes widened in horror and he reared back and punched her for all he was worth. Once he came back to himself he had gone over to the crumpled woman and checked on her.  
  
Nabiki had gone over to the fallen woman and was shocked to discover that her neck was broken and that she was staring almost lifelessly at the wall, but was still alive and trying to mutter something. Malakai, instead of calling emergency services was dialing a long and convoluted number with several pauses and re entering of numbers. Walking over to within earshot Nabiki wasn't quite able to make out what he was saying. After about 20 minutes an ambulance arrived and two orderlies came into the building. Setting her neck in a brace and putting the woman on a stretcher they started to carry her out as a man in a trench coat came in and went strait to Malakai.  
  
"You Malakai Morss?"  
  
"Yes, you Lt Kojira?"  
  
"Yes, how did you find out that she was the 'Widow'?"  
  
"First by her actions, second... I can't tell you that right now. Come back later and I'll have a packet ready for your pickup with all the pertinent information in it. Just keep my name out of it and you can take the credit for her arrest and incarceration."  
  
"Very well, when will the packet be ready?"  
  
"Three hours, it'll take me that long to compile what I have found out into a usable form by the court system."  
  
"Then I'll see you in 4 hours. Have the documents ready. I take it that there is a fee involved?"  
  
"No fee for this one, there'll be an address in the packed. Get a forensics team there. And warn them to bring along biohazard cleanup gear. There's a lot of bodies that have been left to rot."  
  
Turning to leave the Lieutenant walked over to the young man that was with the woman and helping him up walked with him to the door and left the building. Nabiki then turned to Malakai who hadn't had a chance to get out of site. "Hold it buster, I saw what happened and I want answers now. You couldn't have known who she was or anything that she did. So answer up now or I'll go to Lt Kojira myself and let him know that you're a quack."  
  
Malakai didn't respond at first but after a second he motioned over his shoulder for Nabiki to follow him. He led her into the back area and he turned around, seemingly growing in stature and gaining a feral cast to his features at the same time. Before the young woman had a chance to react the bartender flashed forward with his arm and with a now taloned claw like hand held her head untill she blacked out from exhaustion.  
  
Waking up in an unfamiliar room Nabiki groggily tried to remember what happened. Once she got to Malakai turning into a monster she just about screamed when he came into the room. Looking normal again he held up a hand to his lips and apologized. "Nabiki, I'm sorry for scaring you like that. But I had to find out if you were trustworthy or not. You are, so I'll tell you something that few have ever known. I warn you though, do not tell a soul. For if you do, your life could end up compromised." Sitting down on a seat across from the bed that Nabiki had found herself on he continued. "I was part of a rather un-ethical experiment at one time. After the experiment was finished remaking me but before the company could wipe my memories and reprogram me into a killing machine it was attacked and destroyed. Now I'm no longer human, but a biological machine known as a Zoanoid. To survive I have to drain a little bit of life energy from normal people. But a strange side effect occurs, as I drain them I gain some of their memory. That's how I tested you. Also that's how I found out that that woman was the 'Widow'. She's been killing young men that she picks up off of the street for about a decade now. First she kidnaps them, then she abuses them and mutilates their bodies with debilitating surgery. Things like castration, body limb grafting, and muscle re-formation. The entire time that she's doing this they are under a drug that keeps them aware and feeling everything, but paralyzes them and won't let them pass out. If they're lucky she tires of them and kills them in a week or two. Otherwise she'll keep them alive and continue 'Sculpting' them for weeks or even months at a time." Shuddering a bit at some memory that his discussion had dredged up Malakai continued. "I got some of her memory when I grasped her shoulder. More to the point, I received an image of what she was planning with the youth that she entered with. It wasn't something that I ever want to think about let alone see, ever."  
  
"So what happens to her now?"  
  
"I called a contact that I had skimmed off the mind of some JSDF officers that were in here the other night. Lt. Kojira is from a branch of the Japanese Intelligence community. I'm hoping that he'll put her in a hole, and forget where that hole is. Now I need to get back out and clean up. It's past midnight, and it might be wise if you went home. I took the liberty of calling your family and letting them know that you'd be late."  
  
"How did you manage that without scaring them? I've got a pretty over protective houseguest right now."  
  
Malakai grinned a bit, then shifted form a bit, first into the slightly feral and primitive looking monster from earlier. Then a bit further into a bestial looking version of Nabiki, opening her mouth the creature responded in Nabiki's voice "I can do imitations pretty well, don't you think?"  
  
*** end flashback ***  
  
"Cut the façade Malakai. There's no one here but us. You can let up on you mask."  
  
Visibly relaxing a bit the demi-human slimmed down a touch and gained sharper features as well as feline-like eyes and a feral cast to his face. "Thanks Nabiki. It's a bother maintaining my human form at times, did you lock the front then?"  
  
"Yes, I wanted to find out what you wanted to talk about. It sounded pretty important."  
  
"I need some information gathered from you. Lt. Kojira had returned and requested information on some people. I wanted to contract you to gather it for me, standard rate plus a bonus by the way."  
  
"How many, and who?"  
  
"6, all located in Nerima. 2 or 3 I know you know of. The rest you probably don't but you'll need to have detailed information on their life, their capabilities, and their physical profiles to get the bonus. First one on the list is Happosei Hikada," Hiding her surprise to that name was a bit tough but Nabiki let him continue without letting on too much, "second is Gerald Talin. Third person is Ryoga Hibiki, fourth Ranma Saotome," Almost losing her composure again she struggled not to interrupt Malakai before he finished. "Fifth is someone only known as Shai-halud. The sixth is a total unknown, all I have is a picture. Here's the request packet. Please don't open it till you get home."  
  
Still maintaining her mask Nabiki took the manila envelope and left the building. Watching her leave Malakai shifted back into his human form and continued to polish glasses.  
  
********  
  
Going thru a Kata that emphasized distance attacks Ryoga Hibiki contemplated what had happened to him. Now that the changes wrought by the nano-plague virus had finished he was able to view what he had become. No longer was the youth of before. He had gained what appeared to be 20 kilos of mass, entirely muscle with a thin layer of fat over. No longer did he have the perfected musculature of a body builder. Now his body had grown taller and bulkier. However the greatest change was to his arms and legs. Starting on the upper arm and leading down the entire length was no longer flesh and blood, but a silvery metallic material that unless he thought about it was a perfectly formed arm and hand in all but the material. The same had happened to his legs starting at the midthigh. He could manipulate these limbs to a frightening degree. Able to form his limbs into any shape he could imagine, but took to much concentration when distracted they turned back into normal. Hence the Kata. Also another ability that he had discovered was the ability to coat himself in armor akin to what his limbs were now made out of. Able to stop almost any attack and able to even be run over by a steam roller without destroying his body was a great change. However a negative was the fact that he had lost his cursed form, as well as he could no longer actively access his life energy. So untill he gained enough control over the power so that he could form his hand into a gun or something related he was stuck to melee. But he could still shoot his fingers or toes out to 20 feet of spiked projections if he thought about it. Thus the changed kata from one to attack foes at 4 to 5 feet distance to 10 to 15 feet distance.  
  
"Soon Ranma, soon you will be no more. Then I'll steel everything that was yours and gain the life that I should've had all along but you have denied me at every turn." Finishing his rant the formerly lost boy went back to his kata, beginning to form his limbs into bladed projections, spearing imaginary enemies well out of punching or kicking distance.  
  
Watching from remote cameras the scientist who had changed him grinned. Turning at the sound of a phone ringing he went to pick it up, "Gerald speaking."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, the second subject is ready to enter the field."  
  
"..."  
  
"No the memory wipe was never performed. Something better has been done."  
  
"..."  
  
"Do not bother me with petty politics and bureaucracy."  
  
"..."  
  
"You don't say. The 'Widow' has been captured?"  
  
"..."  
  
"And why would you want me to work with such a rank amateur?"  
  
"..."  
  
"Oh, I see. Well, after 24601 is taken care of I'll see about retrieving the lost child."  
  
"..."  
  
"Very well, good bye." Hanging up the phone Gerald turned to frown, once again gazing at Ryoga and his kata his frown disappeared again as he went over to a computer and began typing at it bringing up schematic and overlays. "Perhaps another project should be started to help enhance our new Tinman? Or perhaps another subject to supplement his abilities. Maybe a Net Wizard, or Shocker? So many different changes, so many." Breaking out into a nasty chuckle the scientist continued to type away at the computer his laughter becoming more manic and disturbing as his next project gained shape.  
  
********  
  
Authors notes:  
  
Well, I've got most of the Original Characters ready to go. And I've also got a few of the antagonists ready. I still have another one or two x- overs to go however before everyone is in place. As all of my readers are probably aware of, this is primarily a Ranma fic with some X-over characters that are not main characters from other mangas, anime or games.  
  
Also I'm starting a pole of who my readers would like to be matched up with whom. I will accept pairing suggestions from any show, anime, manga, book, comic, etc... only requirement is that if I don't know of it (I'll reply back and let you know) that I get a really good description of the character, as well as where to look for the work so that I can read/watch it myself. Also please e-mail requests and pole answers to seth@cedarbear.com rather than posting it in the review area.  
  
Examples Include, but are not limited to (my OC's are not included but you can vote for them.)  
  
Ranma / Akane, Nodoka / Soun, Nodoka / Genma, Ranma / Nabiki, Ryoga / Akane, Akane / Nabiki, Ranma / Kasumi, Shampoo / Mousse, Kasumi / Kodachi, Kasumi / Tofu, Cologne / Happosei, Shampoo / Nabiki, Tofu / Akane, Tofu / Shampoo, Genma / Kodachi, Kuno / Nodoka, Kuno / Ranma, Kuno / Akane, Buffy / Ranma, Buffy / Tofu, Buffy / Kuno, Willow / Akane, Willow / Kasumi, Rogue / Ryoga, Magnito / Nodoka, Professor X / Kasumi, Kodachi / Quicksilver, Anita Blake / Ranma, Anita Blake / Akane, Robin / Nabiki, Robin / Shampoo, Freefall / Mousse, Fairchild / Ranma, Grunge / Akane, Van Helsing / Nodoka, Ryoga / Storm,  
  
The above are just suggestions. Please if you want to see a X-over included let me know. Also if you want to see a multiple match up please list that (like Ranma / Nabiki / Ukyo or something like that) Also the more detail as to the reasoning that is provided the more likely that the matchup will happen. (I've only got a couple in mind for Ranma, but nothing is truly set in stone right now.) And I value reader input to help me out writing further chapters and plot lines for this or other fanfictions.  
  
Well, TTFN, must get to work on next chapter and other fanfiction works. I'm hoping to post either prologue and chapter 1 of either Wish Disaster or Namban Disaster in the next month. But life happens and such.  
  
Ja Ne. 


	7. Chapter 6, Damages and Conflicts

Weapon X Japan 06  
  
Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, Rifts, TSR or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.  
  
( ) = Thoughts  
  
# # = Telepathy  
  
= Chinese [due to those ever loved Amazons]  
  
= Machine Language [no not binary, machine people, it explains in the fic]  
  
{ } = Demongogian  
  
/" "/ = Recorded or replayed conversation.  
  
[ ] = Authors description/explanation/notes [I like to ramble sometimes]  
  
####  
  
Authors Pre-Amble: I guess that I should've continued on my last chapter a bit more. Especially for those who are thinking that Ranma staying as a girl was a bit weak. Believe me it'll be story lined in [actually it'll be story lined in as soon as I can get it in this chapter] Also I've had some people asking about why the scientist at Weapon X has access to so much technology, that too will be answered. But if you need examples, go and find the old X-Men comics from before X-Men Alpha and Omega. Weapon X in those series (which is where I grab my Weapon X from) has access to technology sometimes as advanced as the Shi-Ar Empire (see professor X's fiancé's race)  
  
Authors second Pre-Amble: Please, e-mail me your requests/pole answers for the match ups in this fanfiction. Don't use the review area. You can reach me at seth at cedarbear.com instead.  
  
On with the fiction  
  
####  
  
At first she was concerned by his further absence. Then she became enraged at his lack of consideration for not telling anyone where he was. Akane was again fuming around the house. It'd been a few days since Ranma returned from his trip, only to vanish again. What was worse was that her sisters wouldn't tell her anything and her father would only bemoan about the houses not being joined. School hadn't been any easier to deal with. What with her friends constantly asking her what had happened to Ranma, and whether or not they were still together. "Like I care about that pervert." Was her most common response, though inside she really did care, it wasn't in a way that anyone thought about.  
  
"Stupid idiot, why'd he have to leave again." Getting up from the couch that was getting too worn with her constantly sitting down on it and pouting on it in last few days, the distraught girl got up to try to find her wayward fiancé again. Not having much luck at the U-Chan's or the Neko- Hauten, Akane decided to raid her savings and pay Nabiki to track him down. After getting her money Akane went and knocked on her sisters door. Waiting a bit without receiving any answer she opened the door a bit to take a look inside. Not seeing anyone there she walked in and saw that the computer was on. "Wonder what sis has been working on." Moving the cursor around a bit only prompted a security screen to come up. "Hmmm... what password would Nabiki be using this month? Money Talks?" Typing a few different words and phrases in produced no results for the girl so she decided to search elsewhere in the room.  
  
"Her closet, she's gotta have something there."  
  
After a few minutes of rummaging around in her sisters closet gained nothing of note. Closing the door to the closet Akane went over to the bed and lifted it up to look underneath. "Nothing under her bed, who has nothing under their bed." Muttering something about clean freaks Akane puts the bed down and leaves the room. "I swear, it's like she knows that I'm looking for something and hides it. Oh well, I'll just ask Uncle Genma for some help."  
  
####  
  
It had been 3 days since Nabiki had spoken with Nodoka. The first day she went about and organized her papers and research into Ranma beyond what she had obtained prior. Not realizing the monumental amount of work that her task required she ended up working all day rather than for the hour or two she had planned.  
  
The second day she sent feelers out and contacted 4 of her information sources as well as started the compiling of her data both for herself and Nodoka Saotome. Interrupted by her sisters attempt to gather information herself when she was out to lunch with an informant. Re-compiling her data she finished up her day.  
  
The third day started the beginnings of results. After getting home from school Nabiki had turned on her computer and checked her e-mail and a few of the forums that she used to get and post information anonymously. Not expecting any results she found a post that demanded her attention, it was an excerpt from a newspaper from several years ago.  
  
"Mishima Heavy Industries research facility robbed.  
Earlier this week at an R&D an unknown group physically destroyed the  
facility run by corporate head Akiko Natsume. Housed in the facility  
was a JSDF research project detailing in cybernetics and combat  
enhancement that Mishima was contracted by the Japanese government for  
development. When asked about the break in Akiko had no comments.  
However local police forces stated that the building wasn't damaged by  
normal firearms or explosives, instead seeming to be cut by a form of  
blade, or imploded from a sudden vacuum. Authorities state that it is  
most likely a case of corporate espionage and not to be concerned by  
the lack of information on the culprits responsible."  
  
There was more, but after reading it and remembering the JSDF officer enquiring about Ranma and Genma she decided to check out this lead. Quickly posting a coded message of how to contact her Nabiki left the house to go down to the Public Records building to do some research into Mishima Heavy Industries as well as anything that the JSDF might have had in the works concerning the thefts that Genma was wanted for.  
  
####  
  
Walking down the street in a different garb then he's ever worn before, Ryoga Hibiki is on the lookout for his foe. Gone was the dusty yellow shirt and tied off drawstring pants, gone also was the ever present pack and weighted umbrella. Now dressed in a form concealing dusty brown leather duster over black canvas shirt and pants with dark brown/black motorcycle gloves Ryoga looked very menacing in the noon day light. Thankfully the scientist that had altered him also provided him with some new clothes that allowed him to travel around without announcing to the world what he had become.  
  
Turning a corner onto the main street leading to the Tendo's, Ryoga pulled out a small device from his pocket and held it up to his face. Pressing a button he talked into it "I'm here. Turning off transmitter, I'll be going into find your subject and eliminate him." Letting go of the button he continued, "Now to face your doom Ranma."  
  
####  
  
Malakai was getting worried. He was due to meet up with Nabiki soon to discuss some information he had gathered on Genma Saotome, however he had a JSDF officer sitting in front of him that wouldn't go away. Seeing as how the officer was thinking about the things he has been investigating in the prior days, and how it was ironically enough directly related to his information deal with Nabiki Tendo, Malakai wanted to verify with Nabiki whether or not a meeting with the JSDF officer would be beneficial. Or whether she'd be put in jail as an accessory to the crimes that Genma had committed that the JSDF officer was investigating. Normally he wouldn't have been concerned however for the last few minutes he'd been skimming the surface thoughts of Lt Kojira of the JSDF Intelligence. Again not much to worry about, except that apparently Lt Kojira was also a lot more than he let on. Not quite willing to throw his associate to the wolves quite yet Malakai struggled to figure out what to do about the situation.  
  
After several other customers had entered the bar Malakai started to get a bit busy to wonder about the whereabouts of Nabiki. Settling down to his job and continuing to scan the surface thoughts of the clubs clientele the Zoanoid prepared for a long boring evening.  
  
####  
  
"What luck." Ryoga said to himself watching Nabiki leave the Tendo house. "Now if no one else is there I'll be able to lie in wait for Ranma." Pulling the lapels of the duster slightly to reseat the coat the former lost boy came to the Tendo main wall and knocked to announce himself. Waiting for a moment to see if anyone would answer the door he busied himself with going over his mental checklist of what he would do to Ranma with his newfound abilities.  
  
Cutting Ryoga's mental imagery short the gate opened up to reveal Kasumi holding it open to see who had come calling. "Ryoga, what a surprise. Won't you come in? Ranma's not here at the moment, however I think that Akane is upstairs right now. Would you like me to get her?"  
  
"Yes Kasumi, could I wait in the living room for her?"  
  
"I don't see how that could be a problem. Please come in." Kasumi stated turning around and walked down the path to enter the house. Ryoga followed her and took off his shoes at the entranceway. "I'll just get Akane, please make yourself comfortable." Nodding his head at the older girl Ryoga went into the living room and kneeled on the floor to wait.  
  
####  
  
"Akane?" Kasumi called coming to the top of the stairs.  
  
"In my room Kasumi."  
  
"Ryoga is here to see you."  
  
Opening her door Akane looked at Kasumi with a slightly angered expression on her face. "If only Ranma could be so nice. He's such a jerk, that his best friend would come here and visit but he won't even bother to tell his own fiancé what he's up to."  
  
"Oh I'm sure that he's just spending the night at that nice Ukyo's place again."  
  
"WHAT!!! Well see if I care about the jerk ever again." Now even angrier Akane stomps down the steps. Her temper on slow boil as she enters the living room she spies Ryoga kneeling down towards one side of the room. Calming down slightly upon facing the onetime lost boy her features smooth out and a smile alights to her face for a moment. "Ryoga, how have you been?" She asks lowering herself to a kneel before him.  
  
"I'm doing good. I just got back from a training trip learning a new and powerful technique." He said blushing a little bit at talking to Akane.  
  
"Really? Could you teach me?" Akane asked hopefully.  
  
Rubbing the back of his head with one gloved hand Ryoga answered "Not yet. I need to test it out against someone first. I was wondering if Ranma was around."  
  
"No the coward's probably at Ukyo's now." She replied her temper rising once again.  
  
Seeing an opportunity to get in better with Akane he decides to add a little fuel to the fire. "Are you sure? He might be training with Shampoo or hanging out with Kodachi." Seeing Akane fume even more Ryoga decides to derail her a bit before she went off searching for his foe. "How about we spar a bit to work off some steam? I can show you some good ways to get through Ranma's guard."  
  
Suddenly happy that someone was going to take her seriously for a change Akane nods her head vigorously and jumps up. "Let me go get changed quickly and I'll meet you in the Dojo."  
  
####  
  
Entering the now crowded club Nabiki looked around trying to see if Malakai was working the bar. She saw him standing behind the bar towards the back of the room talking to an auburn haired woman wearing a rust red colored cloak of some sort.  
  
Making her way through the crowd to Malakai she almost jumped out of her skin when someone placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nabiki Tendo?" Turning around slowly so as to regain her breath Nabiki answered.  
  
"Can I help you?" Looking at the person who had grabbed her shoulder she wasn't terribly surprised to see Lt Kojira standing there. "Oh, hello Lt. how are you doing?"  
  
"Just fine, what brings you to this establishment?" He asks waiving his arm wide as if to encompass the room.  
  
"Are you drunk Lt.?"  
  
"No, not yet. I'm just off duty now, not everything I do is research or investigation you know."  
  
"No they are not. Sorry to sound impatient, but as I said earlier, can I help you?" Nabiki asked folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"Only if you're a broker of information. Otherwise just enjoy your time."  
  
Nodding slightly and excusing herself from his company Nabiki continued her way to the bar to talk to Malakai. Seeing him in between waiting on customers she walked up to the bar and sat on the stool right in front of her.  
  
"Hello Malakai. You have what I asked for?" After watching him nod his head in the affirmative she slid a small envelope across the bar to him. He picked it up and put it in his vest and removed another small envelope in the same motion.  
  
"Encryption code is BAK1BAD2. Hope that the data works for you." Malakai turned around and went into a back door behind the bar. Nabiki not wanting to look too out of place in the bar went up to another bar tender and ordered a drink. At first she didn't think anything of sitting down next to a tall bald man that was in front of the same bartender that she had ordered a drink from. That is, untill she noticed that the man was wearing a cloak rather than a duster like she had thought and appeared to be wearing armor underneath. Also he was feeding a tawny colored rodent that was sitting on the bar in front of him.  
  
Moving down a few seats she waived over the bartender. "What's up with him? Circus in town or something?"  
  
The bartender looks over at the tall bald man and then shrugs his shoulders before answering. "Don't really know. He's been sitting there sipping beer and feeding his hamster since before my shift. Pays good money and has left a tip each time, so I'm not asking."  
  
Giving a small sigh, Nabiki made quick work of her drink before getting up and leaving the bar. On her way out she ran into Lt. Kojira again. Wishing him well on his time off Nabiki made her way to her next destination.  
  
####  
  
Holding the phone to his ear Happosai waited for someone to pick up on the other end.  
  
"..."  
  
"Happosai Hikada, is Ranma there?" [A/N anyone know what Happosai's last name is?]  
  
"..."  
  
"I am the Grand Master of his school of Martial Arts."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes I am aware that he has amnesia. I would like to retrain him in his art."  
  
"..."  
  
"I will come by then this afternoon. Please ask him to be ready and in male form." Hanging up quickly before the person on the other line could ask anything further the old master hung up the phone through the kitchen window he was perched outside of. Taking a quick glance inside to make sure that no one had seen him use their phone he turned around and jumped to the wall of the yard. Overlooking the street he leapt onto a passing bus to hitch a ride to the other side of the district. "I'm glad that you're with your mother now Ranma. Maybe now I can teach you some real skills instead of that flawed school your idiot father insists on using." Sitting on the roof of the bus the old man lit up his pipe and settled in for the duration of the ride.  
  
####  
  
Nodoka looked at the phone for a minute, the expression on her face a mix of horror and curiosity almost as if the phone would jump out and bite her. Putting the phone back in its cradle she turned around and smoothed out her kimono.  
  
Heading out to the yard she called out "Ranma." Not seeing him, she turned down a path from the back of the house to the rock garden that was on the other side of a quarter acre grove of trees that she kept in the yard. "Ranma, are you there?"  
  
"Yes Mom, in the Garden." Came his light baritone voice. Nodoka walked through the trees and stopped on the edge of a large rock garden. In the middle of the garden was her son. Stopping herself from berating him for walking over the carefully combed sand and meticulously placed rocks the older woman noticed that there was no footprints anywhere in the garden. Ranma himself was standing chest bare in the middle of the garden, one toe barely touching a rock underneath him. His form seemed to blink in and out of existence, flickering like a torch in the wind. "Ranma...?" She asks quietly, almost afraid to speak lest her son disappear.  
  
Startled out of his meditation the pig tailed youth stopped flickering and settled onto his foot entirely depressing the stone he was standing on into the sand a bit. "Dang, almost had it."  
  
"What were you doing son?"  
  
Looking up at his mother who was standing on the edge of the rock garden about 40 feet away Ranma started to scratch the back of his head. "Ummm... I guess that I was practicing with my powers a bit Mother. Why?"  
  
"What powers, you looked like a ghost there for a second. What is going on Son?"  
  
Ranma seemed to be abashed for a second while he tried to find a way to tell his mother what had happened to him. "Mom... You know how I have amnesia?" Nodoka nodded in the affirmative. "Well, apparently I had been injured in a fight and Grandmaster Happosai rescued me and took me to a facility to fix me up. But a scientist had decided to erase my memory and alter me somehow. I don't really know what I can do. So I'm doing as Sensei asked and I'm exploring my abilities." His form flickered a second and Ranma jumped forward off the rock. Ranma shot straight to the side of the garden next to where Nodoka was standing, almost like a bullet. With no arc to his jump he appeared to glide quickly along the ground. As soon as he was over the path that was Nodoka was on he stopped flickering and skidded to a stop.  
  
Nodoka, being a martial artist herself, knew that what Ranma had done was impossible. However seeing it with her own eyes belied that information even as she tried to deny that such a thing could be done. "Ranma, do you know that what you just did is considered impossible?"  
  
"Why would anyone think that that's impossible? Especially if they could see me change gender?" He said tilting his head to the side in confusion.  
  
"Never mind, do you know what you can do yet?"  
  
Looking into the distance for a second before talking Ranma replied "Not totally. I think that I can become like a ghost at will. It allows me to ignore things like gravity and solid matter. I also don't seem to get damaged very much when I hit something or get hit. Other than that I'm still learning myself."  
  
"Do you think that Grandmaster Happosai would be able to help you?"  
  
"He says that he could. Also that he owes me an honor debt for things that had happened in the past. He also told me that he'll be keeping my father busy untill I'm ready to either resume my life or move on to a new life. I don't understand, from what I saw of his interaction with the Tendo's he was not liked, and people thought that he was a pervert. However when I was dealing with him away from them he was kind and courteous, as well as respectful. Do you know why?"  
  
Turning towards the house Nodoka motions for Ranma to follow her. "When I was first married to your father Genma he had told me about a terrible master that taught him the school of Martial Arts that he now follows. How he and another student of the Masters had gone through a living hell for many years. And of how he had managed to defeat the Master and win his freedom." The two arrived at the house and entered. "I would guess that Grandmaster Happosai is the dreaded 'Master' that Genma used to talk about." Nodoka then led Ranma into the entrance room to the house and sat down at a low table in the center of the room. "Happosai called a little bit ago and requested to meet with you this afternoon to discuss training. Something about re-training you in his school of martial arts." Seeing his slightly guarded expression she added, "You don't have to if you don't want to though."  
  
"No Mother, I might as well. But at least it is by choice this time."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Well, according to Happosai my Father Genma had taken me training since I was 6 right?"  
  
"Yes that is when Genma took you."  
  
"He told me that I had no memories of anything else other than training. As well as that I couldn't handle talking to anyone, and that I was completely uneducated. In the last few days I have learned a lot, and am gaining a center. It doesn't bother me to be a guy or a girl, but according to Happosai it bothered me a great deal. Does learning the art mean that I'll go back to what I had been?" Ranma asked in an almost scared voice.  
  
"No Ranma, learning the art shouldn't ever do that to a person. Only mistreatment should. I will have words with your father once I see him again."  
  
Ranma looked at his mother in mild apprehension. "It's alright with you?"  
  
"Yes, as long as I'm involved or get to see some of it. I just want to spend time with you." Nodoka stated as she got up from kneeling on the floor and came to sit behind her son. Holding him close to her she continued. "I don't want to be separated again. If you regain your memory then I want you to remember who you have been with me. If you don't then I want you to go forth as whom you are now, not a shadow or ghost of who you might have been."  
  
####  
  
Onboard the bridge of the Yggdrissel panic reigned.  
  
"Cryx, get a bead for the main cannon on that Crystalline Destroyer." Shouted a small oriental looking girl.  
  
A creature that looked like a humanoid T-Rex with techno body armor turned around from one of the gunner stations. "You sure you want to use a Rift Cannon at this proximity?" Before the girl could answer the room rocked to one side spilling several odd looking creatures from their stations.  
  
{Damn Fringe Eaters} Muttered the Astrogator standing back up at his station. {And point your cannon somewhere else Pimp} The Gurgoyle said to the Dwarf standing underneath him.  
  
"Fine beastie, As soon as ye move so that I may point me 'Hooker' elsewhere." Hollered back the irritated dwarf.  
  
A young girl with cobalt blue gemlike skin and hair steadied the dwarf "Father, you shouldn't taunt Drssil. You know he likes to use you as the ball in his volley ball games with Cryx." Another shudder rocks through the ship.  
  
"Dang it Cypher, we don't have time to argue about the proximity of the enemy. Arm and fire the Cannon." The Asian looking girl said from the command seat.  
  
"Rift Cannon armed Captain, beginning firing sequence." Said the T-Rex named Cryx Cypher.  
  
Pimp managed to get his shoulder cannon unslung and pointed away from the torso of the Gurgoyle astronavigator. "Ya Sapphire, I know. 'I add an element of danger to their game' if only I hadn't gotten-" The ship rocks again spilling Pimp onto the ground with the 14 foot tall Gurgoyle Drssil falling on top of him. Sapphire managed to barely jump to the side bracing herself on the Nav console. "Captain, two other Crystalline Raider battleships have come out of FTL within 12 light minutes of us." She said with a little bit of panic in her voice.  
  
"Cryx Cypher, so help me if you don't have that cannon ready to fire I'll shove a Cerulean Blood Snake up your backside." Turning towards the drive console "Windchild prepare for Dimension shift, bring up Alpha transit shields." Without looking at the tumbled mess of Gurgoyle and Dwarf the woman continued "Sapphire, plot a course under the oncoming ship. Bring us to just outside the event horizon of a full powered Rift. At point 65 the speed of light."  
  
Sapphires eyes widened at the request. Quickly chanting spells and waiving her arms, her hands moving at a blurring rate tracing arcane symbols in mid air the blue skinned girl set about her task.  
  
####  
  
Outside the Yggdrissel was pure chaos. Shimmering opalescent ships vaguely resembling cut diamonds were zipping through space at breakneck speeds. Each one was about the size of a large truck and had no visible drive system or weapons system. However they were shooting off energy beams at the dark iron space ship. A purplish blue field would flicker to life every time one of the crystal raider beams would come within a certain distance of the hull. Ahead and about 20 degrees above the plane of decent of the Yggdrissel was a Crystalline Raider capitol ship. Easily 20 times the size of the Yggdrissel there was no hint of an opening or change to the structure. Behind the ship half again as far as the earth is to the sun were two rapidly approaching vessels. One was 5 times the size of the space sub, while the other might have been the size of a small moon.  
  
The Yggdrissel pointed its nose to only a few degrees off of the raider ship in front of it and sped up. The single thruster at the rear of the ship discharged a plume of blue flame easily twice as long as the sub was. Accelerating faster the Yggdrissel's upward forward section opened up revealing a long rectangular opening about the size of a basketball court. Purple blue lightning was flashing about in the depth of the opening, the intervals between arcs lessening as the large ship came closer to its enemy. When the Yggdrissel was about 5 miles from the other ship a blue circular corona appeared in front of the bow of the craft and was shot through by a raging purple beam that seemed to warp reality as it passed. As the beam came closer to the crystalline ship it curved towards its center, growing in diameter the entire time. When it was about to strike the energy blast shot open into a large tear in the very fabric of space. Reality looked like it had shattered in front of the crystal ship, the tears cris-crossing space for about a mile pulling at the opalescent vessel. The smaller Yggdrissel slid just on the edge of the Tear underneath it's foe, a red corona of hellish energy snapping at the rips in space and time that came close to the space sub. Just as it seemed to be able to break free the Rift tripled in size and swallowed both vessels leaving only a small swarm of crystalline fighters in its absence.  
  
####  
  
Akane and Ryoga were sitting in her room at the Tendo house talking. It had been a few days since Ryoga had returned and he'd been staying in the dojo. He and Akane had sparred a few times in the time they had spent together.  
  
"Wow Ryoga, you've gotten really good."  
  
"I've been practicing a lot lately." Ryoga said rubbing the back of his head bashfully.  
  
"I've been wondering though, why do you wear the gloves all the time?"  
  
"Oh, these..." Ryoga looks bashfully at his hands then as if he had come to a decision he looks back up at Akane. "Akane, on my last training trip something happened."  
  
While Ryoga paused to inhale Akane interrupted him. "You've been disfigured? Is that why you always wear long sleeves and the gloves?" She said looking on expectantly to the other youth.  
  
Shaking his head a little Ryoga continued, "I guess that is one way you could describe it. But it is more of a gift than a disability." Ryoga looked directly into her eyes as he started to pull at the fingers of one of his gloves.  
  
"So was it a burn? Scarring? What. Did you get it while training?" Akane pestered.  
  
Holding up one hand a bit to forestall any further questions Ryoga finished tugging at the glove on his right hand. Holding up the gleaming metallic hand in front of Akane's face he continued. "I was changed, given some new abilities. My hands and feet now look like this, and I can control it with just a thought." As he was stating this his hand started to reform into a long blade, then into a hammer, after that into a vicious set of claws. Reforming it into a normal but metallic looking hand the formerly lost boy looked back at Akane. "This is why I need to test it out on Ranma instead of any others. It's a bit on the lethal side for anyone who's not an accomplished fighter."  
  
While Ryoga was showing the morphing ability of his limb Akane had been staring at his hand in an almost awe. "Wow, so how did this happen to you?"  
  
"I had been wandering around looking for that coward Ranma when a scientist asked for my help on an experiment he was running. Something happened that injured me during it. After I came to he had done this to me to help me out." Ryoga started to put his glove back on when Akane stopped him.  
  
"I want to see all of the change. Please?" She said looking at him with pleading eyes.  
  
"You sure Akane?" At her nod of approval Ryoga took off his other glove and his shoes. Rolling back his sleeves and his pants legs until the chrome metal gave way to normal flesh he showed the change.  
  
"And you can control the shape of all of it?" Akane said with a slight gleam in her eye.  
  
"Yes, to almost any shape I desire. And I can encase my body with the material as well." Ryoga said as the metal on his limbs started to flow up towards the rest of his body. Soon the metal disappeared under his cloths but the youth pulled up his shirt a bit to show it flowing in mercurial smoothness across his torso. Next it flowed up his neck and encased his face and head in the same material until he looked like a chrome manikin. "This is what I look like fully encased Akane." The former lost boy said with an odd metallic echo to his voice.  
  
"Has this helped you in the art?" Akane asked, an almost desperate note in the undertone of her voice.  
  
"Immensely, now I'm no longer limited to melee and don't have to rely on Ki draining attacks like Ranma does. Since I no longer need the Shi Shi Hokoudan I'm not depressed all the time. I'll now be able to defeat that coward without any trouble."  
  
"I'd like to meet this scientist." Akane stated, adding "To thank him" almost as an afterthought.  
  
####  
  
Nabiki was in her room going over the file that she received from Malakai. Her eyes widened in shock at seeing some of the names on the files. Quickly closing the window down of the files she re-encrypted them on her hard drive then shut down the computer and removed the cord from the back just in case. She put a sign on the saying "Broken, don't use" on it in Kasumi's handwriting chuckling while she was doing so. Taking a look around her room suspiciously she pulled a loose floorboard up and dropped a disc from her other disc drive into the gap that was made. Putting the board back in place she dusted off her hands on her trouser pants and left the room.  
  
Shortly after Nabiki left the room Genma appeared out of thin air standing next to her closet on the side where she wouldn't touch him if she opened the closet door. Looking around he gets a slight evil grin on his face and pulled up the floorboard. Genma removed the disc and put it in his gi then put the board carefully back in place making sure to include the small strip of string in the same place that Nabiki had put it when she put the board in place. Waving a cloth in front of his form Genma returned to invisibility.  
  
####  
  
The market place was very cool in the evening time. Hawkers were calling out their wares while people shopped. Three people moved down one of the corridors of the market. None of the three were very tall, however one stuck out above the other two. He was a little taller than average, and stood a few inches above the other two. He wore a tan and gray long coat with no sleeves buttoned down to his waist. Underneath the long coat was a sky blue silk shirt and a sapphire blue silk drawstring pants. His bracers that encased his forearms looked to be of a very old hand beaten bronze with black and dark crimson runes inscribed around the edges and a whorled scenery etched into the main area of the metal.  
  
The second person stood a little shorter than the first. He appeared to be an average man, wearing an average suit, with an average complexion, and an average face. That is at first glance. As the trio moved from one section of the market, where more than a few business men were into an area that had several people dressed in their daily household clothes or in attirement that wasn't for corporate Japan, he changed. If one had blinked they would've missed it. Even if one hadn't blinked they would have dismissed the change due to deja'vu or maybe they weren't watching him properly. Now dressed in an ordinary set of jeans and an average t-shirt he blended into the background once again. Not to be noticed except as an afterthought or as a distant and fuzzy memory.  
  
The third was the attention getter of the group; seemingly as big around as he was tall this massive wall of muscle belonged on an American muscle- building magazine rather than on the streets of Nerima. Toting around the muscles on muscles look he was dressed in a tight black gray t-shirt that perhaps would be an extra large on a smaller man but was almost a baby t on him. His expression was piggish, almost as if he was constipated. The frown lines on his face were almost deep crevasses and his brow ridge was maybe a few sizes to pronounced, as such the word "Neanderthal" came very easy to mind when he walked around.  
  
Turning around the corner of the street the terrible trio ran into a startled man.  
  
####  
  
Soun was walking to the market with his eldest daughter Kasumi this day. They had run out of several key-cooking ingredients and she wasn't strong enough to carry them by herself so she asked her father for help. Kasumi was dressed in her normal frumpy housedress that understated her beauty and her fit form. Soun was dressed in a jeans and t-shirt combo that he only really wore when going out into town rather than his traditional dogi. They had just completed one of their last purchases when Soun rounded a corner and ran into what he thought was a brick wall that was put in place since the last time he was here. Dropping the large bag of rice by accident the Tendo patriarch looked at perhaps the most muscular man he had ever seen in his life. About to mutter an apology he noticed that the man was licking his lips in a rather lecherous fashion and staring at his eldest daughter. Soun stepped into the large man's plane of sight so as to disrupt his staring at Kasumi and bowed slightly to him. "I apologize for any affront that I have made to you sir."  
  
The man stepped forward and raised his arm as if to brush Soun to the side like a blade of grass or a limb on a tree, he was stopped by the man wearing bracers who placed a bracered hand on the over-muscled brute. A feeling of power swept the crowd of people, akin to the energy rush from before a lightning blast, and the wall of muscle stopped moving forward in an attempt to brush the Tendo patriarch from his path and backed down from the challenge. Looking at Soun the large over-muscled man asked in a low resonating though cultured voice, "What relation are you to the young woman you shield."  
  
Startled by his well dictioned speech, Soun took a moment to respond. "I am her father. Can I ask what business you would like with her?"  
  
"Yes, I am known as San. I find her to be very appealing. I would request her company at my estate later this week. You will give her the time from home to be entertained this Saturday?"  
  
Though formed as a question Soun knew in his heart that this was no request. As well the Tendo patriarch knew that it might be wise to at least go along the larger mans demand initially. So to forestall him Soun added a request of his own. "I will be delighted to make the time for her, if she would be inclined to go. But she is an unwed maiden and must be chaperoned by a gentleman of my choosing. If that is agreeable then she will be ready for you this Saturday." Bowing in submission Sound backed up slightly.  
  
Kasumi meanwhile was fuming inside (How dare you Father. First you dump your worthless friends son on our family, and then just when we manage to get rid of the idiot jock you are about to saddle me with another?) However on the outside she just kept a vapid grin on her face as if everything were all right with the world. Later Kasumi would think the matter over and perhaps the near to be nightmare of entertaining the muscle bound Neanderthal to be just a passing bad memory. After all she and her father had left without giving them directions to their house, or even their family name.  
  
####  
  
San looked at the man playing human chameleon beside him. "Ni, follow them. I want to know where they live, and if possible find out if she's interested in anyone."  
  
Just as Ni was about to leave the first man in the long coat and blue silk clothes turned towards him. "Don't" the bracered man said then turned towards San "That was unwise. We do not have the time to be following your every whimsy. Shai-Halud is waiting for us. You can find a new bed mate some other time."  
  
"Wise or not. I will not be deterred in anything. Satu go on. I will take all responsibility for your absence from our meeting. But find out all you can about her family. I will be waiting." He turned away from the disappearing ordinary man to the other member of their group. "Ichi, this is just a routine meeting. Why would Shai-Halud ask for anything beyond a normal report." A wistful expression passed over his face for a moment. "Besides, there is a quality in her that I haven't seen in anyone in a long time. I yearn for better company than those that currently reside within my domicile."  
  
"In other words you are tired of your current harem." Ichi stated The bracers made a resounding clank as he crossed his forearms over his chest. "Never mind, let's get going. Standing here will earn us no points in our favor."  
  
In the background there was a commotion. Ichi and San turned to watch the disturbance. They catch glimpses of a diminutive old man bounding through the crowd. He carried a small bundle on his back, and made large leaps over the heads of the people that were in his way. Once the old man had passed where they were at a slim young woman with pink and white hair shot like a bullet by them while she chassed the old man. She was dressed in a high quality white and brown business dress and was wearing a blue white and gold bracelet that was perhaps a bit oversized. Once she was out of sight Ichi turned towards San, "Ok, that was defiantly a four on my weirdness scale. Maybe we should go."  
  
"Yes let us retire from this market. We have much to do."  
  
####  
  
Nabiki returned to her room with a large stack of papers and books in her arms. She put them on her bed as she turned and closed the door to her room. She then took a can of aerosol out of her backpack next to her bed and proceeded to spray it around the room while holding a cloth to her nose. Confidant that whatever reason she had sprayed the fine clear mist around her domicile she then opened the window long enough to put a box fan that was retrieved from the closet in the opening and switched it on. After the fan was on and cycling in the window frame, Nabiki went over and turned on the computer. While the machine was booting up the young woman went over to her hiding spot in the floor and pried the board loose. "Why Genma, you were in my room after all." She said under her breath after seeing the spot empty. "I'll just have to keep better tabs on my information then."  
  
Nabiki watched her computer finish booting up then started opening files on the screen while the fan buzzed gently in the background. After the Tendo girl had passed several different encryption codes she went on to reviewing data. Several minutes later Nabiki stopped reading what was on her screen and went over to some of the paper on her bed.  
  
"Hmm..." She muttered out loud. "June 1984, break in yadda yadda... several key materials stolen. Some sort of bio suit design." She sat up in her seat. "Bio suit? What's a bio suit." Nabiki shook her head then went back to her research. "Culprit considered armed and deadly, if any information received or materials found contact Ozward Risker at Chronos Corporation. Helpful they even left a number." Nabiki put the sheet down and started typing in the computer. "Too bad that it happened about 10 years ago."  
  
Nabiki typed some more information then picked up another paper and starts to mutter out loud again. "Genom agent storms the EDF's Science Garrison... mass damage... fight between unknown assailant and EDF security force headed by Chohiciroh Hikari. Security forcer overwhelmed, assailant disappeared without a trace. Genom denies all involvement." Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Genma, what have you been doing. This'll be more involved than I thought."  
  
She closed the small folder of paper scraps and opened another. "WWWA spokeswomen Kei and Yuri announced today a bounty on an unknown assailant that had stolen a small fortunes worth of experimental weaponry." Nabiki put that article to the side and pulled out another. "Chinese government officials had nothing to declare after a terrorist attack on the American Embassy in Beijing. An as yet unknown strike force had destroyed the building with small crew mounted weapons of undetermined make. Analysts have yet to determine how a small detachment of terrorists without vehicles were able to fend off US Marines small arms fire while devastating the surrounding structures in such a small amount of time."  
  
####  
  
A few hours later Nabiki had finished compiling all the notes she had found at the library that had correlated to the information that she had obtained from Malakai. Once done she encrypted it again and e-mailed it to a floating internet storage service that she had obtained a year ago. Afterwards she took a dummy disk with false data and put it into her storage spot in the floor and shut off the fan in the window putting it back in the closet where she got it from then she went to sleep.  
  
Almost the instant that her head hit the pillow Genma materialized outside of her window a miscreant grin on his face. He opened the window and entered quickly and quietly. Looking around the room he saw the folder that Nabiki had been using earlier. Genma ignored that one in preferance of the hidden area in her floor that she used to hide things in. Opening it up he fished the disc out that Nabiki had just place inside. In a clean leap from where he stood on the floor the aging martial artists sailed through the open window, not a portion of his cloths touching the frame in his silent passage. Nabiki opened her eyes as the wind rushed from Genma's exit. A small mischievous grin was on her face as she got up and closed her window. After closing the window she went to her backpack and pulled out her cell phone. She waited for the other end to pick up then said. "Lt. Kojira, this is Nabiki."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, he has it."  
  
"..."  
  
"You are on your own now. I won't risk my family on that man."  
  
"..."  
  
"Ok, well anyway go ahead and get him. And good luck, he's a better martial artist than you give him credit for."  
  
"..."  
  
"No not just by the way he trained Ranma. Look I ought to warn you, he has some form of cloaking technique. It will be difficult to track him if he uses it. Send your best, and I'm not talking Special Forces."  
  
"..."  
  
"No they'd be slaughtered."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, well then leave it with Malakai."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yes, goodnight to you too." Nabiki closed up her phone and then locked her window. She climbed back into bed and closed her eyes for slumber. While she laid on her back a calm almost peaceful expression came to her face. "Genma Saotome, you will regret bringing danger to this house." Nabiki opened her eyes and looked at the floorboard that was still uncovered. "And you will regret what you have attempted to do to me. Goodbye, and may your soul rest as your life has not."  
  
####  
  
She was high. Higher than a kite, or so she felt. The raven haired girl rode an emotional kick that swept through her soul setting her nerves on fire with electric pulses that rivaled the strongest charged blast of lightning ever to hit the earth. As she rode the pleasureful and painful tide of her recreation her mind was blank. Not a thought could form in the infinite moment of her current existence.  
  
Slowly, ever so slowly she started to come back to herself. The first thing she noticed was that her throat hurt. Hurt badly, like she had been screaming for hours. Unable to talk she focused on other senses, first her touch. Everything felt weird to her, from the table underneath her to the air flowing across her bare torso. She tensed quickly when a small brush of air blew across her bare pubic area, cooling the fires on her skin and sending an icy chill up her spine as the moisture on her flesh became cool.  
  
Awareness flooded back into her mind in a near soul shattering blast. The naked girl cried out from her damaged throat a cry of grief that could shatter cold-hearted mercenaries or battlefield surgeons to the core. A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders to hold her down while she thrashed.  
  
"AKANE!" Came a male voice, concern evident to the girl even as she bucked on the table. "AKANE! IT'S ALL RIGHT. YOU'RE FINE." She felt the same strong hands slide along her torso and wrap around her, the strong arms held her close to the male body. She opened her eyes; the room she was in was barren nothing really in it other than the table she was on and the arms wrapped around her from behind. Muttering in her horse voice she responded. "Ryoga..?"  
  
"I'm here Akane, are you alright?" The distraught girl nodded her head slowly, memories of the last day returned.  
  
Memories of herself following Ryoga.  
  
Memories of meeting a strange doctor.  
  
Memories of agreeing to gain power, abilities beyond others.  
  
Memories of pain.  
  
"Ryoga... did it work? Am I enhanced like you?" Akane said as she turned to face the other youth. She noticed that he was dressed in a dark maroon shirt with the ties on the side and black pseudo leather pants like a biker would wear. His arms and hands were bare, the metal of his forearms and hands gleaming in the florescent light.  
  
"I don't know if you are enhanced like me. Your limbs look the same." He said as he nodded to Akane's arms. As she followed his gaze down Akane noticed her state of dress. She blushed quickly before pulling her arms close in to her body covering her breasts with her hands. Just as quickly Akane jerked her hands away from her chest looking in shock at her palms. Ryoga saw her reaction and pulled her hands down a little so that he could see what she saw on her palms to cause her to react in such a way.  
  
On each of her palms about 1 or 2 inches up from the base of the wrist was a small triangular metal plate, perhaps an eighth of an inch in width.  
  
"Are you alright Akane?" The formerly lost boy said.  
  
Akane hesitated a little bit before she answered. "Yes, but that was very weird."  
  
"How so?"  
  
She looked directly in his eyes before she replied. "I could feel through them."  
  
####  
  
A sleek dagger like shape of an aircraft skimmed along the surface of the Pacific Ocean at a gentle 600 mph. The craft had a forward swept wing design as well as a widely spaced engines design that was rare to an aircraft of this size. The shape and lines of the surface of this aircraft spoke of lethal speed and maneuverability. Matte black in color with its running lights turned off, the plane was practically invisible to the human eye.  
  
####  
  
Lt. Yuseke Kojira was not a happy man. If one looked at his attire they might have a small clue as to why. The left sleeve of his suit was gone. Part of the lapel of the right side of his suit was hanging by a strip of cloth torn from the top down. His shirt was shredded under the jacket and Yuseke's slacks were a shredded dirty mess. Some bruises showed from underneath the remains of his clothes and his right eye was swollen in promise of a nice shiner in the days to come.  
  
"Damn him!" The frustrated Lt. Kojira cursed getting out of the dust and debris that was all that was left of the wall that he had been slammed into. A beep sounded from his around his waist got him to look down. Lt. Kojira saw a small arc of blue electricity go from a smooth black box attached to the inside of his belt to his belt buckle. He reached down and pulled at a catch on the inner side of the box and part of it slid up to reveal a small touch pad. After pushing a couple of buttons on the pad the incessant beeping noise from his belt stopped.  
  
"Shit, now I have to replace that e-clip. I don't have time for this." He grumbled angrily.  
  
"Don't have time for what?" Came a man's voice from his right. Kojira spun around to face the voice while he whipped his right arm up with the hand formed into a fist angled down sharply. A small red dot formed on the wall above the head of a diminutive dwarf of a man who stood only a couple of feet tall. The small form of Happosai looked back along the beam of the laser at the disheveled man before him.  
  
"You planning on using a laser pointer to scare me off?" The aged master said with a hint of boredom. Kojira lowered his arm and pressed something through his sleeve with his left hand, a small bleep sounded and then the laser beam shut off.  
  
"What do you want old man." The Lt. said in a drained voice.  
  
Happosai pulled out his pipe and lit it with a small Ki burst from his finger. "Just seeing who had foolishly taken on Genma Saotome. You survived, so you must be better than you look."  
  
Kojira shrugged his shoulders as he went over to a wall opposite the crushed one he just pulled himself out of. "Just better equipped. I won't make that mistake again." He bent at the waist and picked up a damaged black cylinder that seemed to have been broken in half from the ground on the other side of the alley. "Who knew that a normal human could be so tough."  
  
Happosai chuckled a little upon hearing that statement. "A creature like you is complaining about a 'Normal Human'?" Happosai snuffed out the embers of his pipe and put it away. "And who's to say he's 'Normal'?"  
  
"What do you know old man." Kojira said looking at the smaller man.  
  
"Only that when one trains with Ki for as long as Genma that remarkable things can happen. Even things beyond the natural." Happosai chuckled again at some hidden joke then turned away from the JSDF Officer. "Be ready, next time firing plasma bolts at him will probably only piss him off. You were lucky this time; he underestimated you like you did for him. He now knows that you are also more than you seem." The old master then jumped up 30 feet to the rooftop above the alley. "You can find him at the Tendo Dojo. If he asks tell him Happosai told you." After he said that Happosai faded from view without moving. Only an echoing voice remained behind. "Perhaps some help for one not of this world would be in order. Find it to deal with my old student."  
  
Kojira looked a little bit dumbfounded at that statement. "Student? Why would he turn him in then." After he picked up some more odds and ends from the damaged alleyway in downtown Tokyo the Lt. turned to the street to hail a cab out of the area.  
  
####  
  
"Where are we." Came the young voice of the young looking captain out of the darkened room. Some sparks flew from the forward area briefly lighting the room in a small flash of light, before the after images had a chance to become set in the eyes of the occupants a chanting started from one side of the room. A swaying globe reminiscent of a small star appeared above the broken astrogation console to spill light on the shattered interior of the Yggdrissel's bridge. Drssil was extricating himself from the wall next to the console cursing something in Demongogian as Sapphire finished her casting.  
  
"Captain, no technology or magic present on the sensors." Came a voice from the front of the room.  
  
Captain Naomi sat up in her damaged seat. "Drssil, you alive over there?"  
  
After he grumbled a bit more Pimp answered up for the pissed off Gurgoyle "Aye captain, he lives as yet. Stubborn beastie that he is."  
  
Naomi sighed a bit in relief before replying. "Pimp, stop agitating him and help him out of the wall. Sapphire, can you get a read on where we are?"  
  
"Yes Captain." The cobalt skinned girl said in a chipper voice before she started an arcane chant above her broken station. An explosion from the other side of the room broke her spell concentration as several creatures started to curse and scramble around the room while making an attempt to bring fire retarding spells and equipment to bear.  
  
{Hold on Sapphire, let's cast this together. The console won't focus your power damaged as it is} Drssil managed to say after getting helped out of the wall by Pimp. Meanwhile the dwarf was grinning ear to ear as if from hearing some great joke.  
  
The fires from across the room were almost under control as Cryx addressed his captain. "Naomi, Fire control's shot. I'll need one of the Techno Mages to help on the repairs. I don't think that the Rift Cannon will be operable for at least a few cycles."  
  
From the front of the room a female voice sounded out. "Captain?" Naomi turned to face the direction from her control seat. "Yes Windchild?"  
  
"Drive works, controls don't. It'll be like controlling a Kreegor stock barge right now. One way, and hope it's the right direction."  
  
Naomi pulled a small wand from her hip and held it in front of her. She swung her arm in a circle in front of her, a trail of sparkles were left in its wake completing a ovoid circle in front of the small Asian girl. After the two lines touched the air in between shimmered for a second before becoming solid to show an image from behind. Through the image a darkened room was visible, as Naomi watched a bolt of blue and purple energy crawled along the far wall from her vantage of her viewing portal. Voices could be heard from the image as a pair of oddly dressed humanoids rushed towards the image from a side passage as they headed where the bolt of power came from. Naomi took a quick breath before she called out. "Engineering, REPORT!" She hollered into the image.  
  
One of the two rushing men stopped in front of the image. "Captain" He began, slightly out of breath. "Secondary S.E.E.D.S. energy crystal shielding system failed Ma'am. We're trying to hold off an internal Rift storm. Could you send some mages down? I'm down to myself and 3 other Techno Wizards." The Captain turned from the image towards her right. Sapphire, Pimp, Drssil, go. Get down to engineering." She then turned to the left. "Cryx, go find your Anti-Monster friend. We'll need his expertise to get the Yggdrissel running again." Naomi faced to the front again. "Windchild, sorry no help for you, keep your eyes on the sensors and if needs be go find John to help steer the ship."  
  
Windchild grinned and rubbed her hands together once she heard the last. Naomi sighed seeing her expression. "Yes you get to use my grav pack. Just go." Naomi put her face in her hand in exasperation. "Freaking Hyperion Juicer Cyborg. Just had to hire on an adrenaline junky, no couldn't have gotten a normal pilot." After she steeled herself from her annoyance the captain started to bark orders around the remaining bridge crew.  
  
####  
  
Authors Notes  
  
Well, another chapter done. Sorry for taking so long. Life happened and such. I also didn't want to leave my readers with only half a chapter, so I brainstormed and wheedled and finally inspiration found me typing on my computer doing some new labels for my company while strung out on just way too much caffeine and listening to bad techno.  
  
So here we are at the end of chapter six. Also here are the results from my pole on who should end up with who (I'm listing the ones that are either interesting or have merit)  
  
Nodoka / Van Helsing  
Believe it or not this is one of the most requested. Good match up if you ask me, just not quite sure how I'll do it. At least I've watched the movie now.  
  
Ranma / Buffy / One other  
I don't think I'll do this one yet, it'd be nice, but I want to keep Ranma in Nerima. I don't really see Buffy going there right now.  
  
Genma / Soun  
Hmmm... The Ambiguously Gay Duo? Who'll wear the Gi and who'll cook in this relationship. Kind of an evil one requested by a few readers. Spring of drowned girl anyone? "Now the Houses will be joined. Right old buddy?"  
  
Nodoka / Soun  
I might do this one if I can't figure out how to get Van Helsing into the story. Has merit.  
  
Nabiki / Kuno  
Been done  
  
Akane / Ryoga I think that everyone sees that hook up starting now.  
  
Kasumi / Tofu  
Not sure, it's done, and done, and done, and done. But maybe I can put a new twist on it. Any suggestions?  
  
Ranma / Wolverine  
Believe it or not this has been requested. I decided not to, however it is interesting. Only problem, Wolverines way too much of a father figure or a mentor. Plus I don't want to have to rewrite Ranma's core personality too much, it's bad enough giving the poor lad total amnesia.  
  
Ranma / Rogue / One other  
I like this one. Just which version of Rogue to use? I think I'll take the one from shortly before Ultimate X-Men came out, I've got a really good pic of the version I want to use if anyone wants it e-mail me at seth at cedarbear.com and I'll send it to you.  
  
Ranma / Kasumi / Akane  
I have not personally seen this hook up yet. I've seen Ranma / Nabiki / Kasumi and Ranma / Akane / Nabiki several times but not this one. Since I don't want to see Ranma with Akane yet I'll leave this one behind.  
  
If anyone has any other good suggestions, please e-mail me at seth at cedarbear.com and I'll either post the suggestions, or if they're really good I'll write them in in one form or another.  
  
Also I'm starting another side item. Anyone able to sight all the cameos? I've got several original characters here, but also have many cameos. Anyone able to guess them all? E-mail me if you sight it and think you know where it came from, I'll be posting congrats and the actual source of characters and cameo's in my Authors Notes of future chapters. 


	8. Chapter 7, First Battles

Weapon X Japan 07

Standard Disclaimer... I don't own Ranma 1/2, Marvel, Rifts, TSR or any other works of fantasy/fiction or published works that appear in this fanfiction. I do this for no profit and only for the enjoyment of writing and sharing these stories with other fans.

_( ) Thoughts_

# # Telepathy

( ) Chinese due to those ever loved Amazons

Machine Language no not binary, machine people, it explains in the fic

#( )# Demongogian

/" "/ Recorded or replayed conversation.

Authors description/explanation/notes I like to ramble sometimes

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Author's Pre-amble

Well here is another installment of Weapon X Japan. Or should it be More Original Characters than you can shake a stick at? Several of the non-Ranma characters in this fic are OC's. Though they are OC's they are not the God-awful Powerhouses that are found in many of the other Fanfictions out there. I challenge my readers to figure out which Non-Ranmaverse characters are Original, and which are either Cameo's or Crossover Characters. (Here's a guess, there are currently more than 4 OC's.)

Also I've been challenged to make a Ranma / Cologne hookup. Actually that's already been done. It was also written in the way that I would do it. If you wish to read the fic (and bug Felix to finish it) it's on , title: Cologne for Teens by Felix Webster.

Another challenge that has been posted was a Ranma / Kasumi / Akane. Sorry folks not this fic. Though a different one that I was not going to Crossover with any others will have that match up. It'll be called Namban Disaster, expect the first few chapters to be posted sometime this summer (Provided that I don't get to busy in life) However my first fanfic goal is Weapon X Japan, and until I either get up to around 100,000 words or chapter 20. I'm not going to put to much effort into my other fanfictions.

I am also looking for a board to post this fiction that will allow me to post pictures as well (for free is my choice) once I get that I'll be including a link to it in every chapter. After all I'd love for people to see the pictures that have inspired my writing, especially since many of them are very well done, and may inspire other authors to write some more as well.

Well, on with the fic.

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Ranma-chan was sitting on her rear where she landed in the park. Around her was the falling dust and debris that had been kicked up when she plowed into the ground from what felt like a high altitude. As she got up off of the ground Ranma-chan phased to allow the dirt and grime to fall through her body rather than dust it off. Regaining her solidity the red haired girl turned to look at the tree that she had been rebounded off a few seconds earlier.

"Good Job Ranma. You're getting better at using your powers." Came Happosai's voice from behind her. "Next time though, don't allow the water to touch you when you phase through a fire hydrant." The old master said as he threw something at the girl.

Ranma-chan absent-mindedly caught the container and opened it up to spill the hot water over her form so that she could regain her male form. Once the change was complete Ranma stood there and turned to face the grand master of Anything Goes martial arts. "Master Happosai, why haven't I been training as a girl as much as training as a boy?"

Happosai walked over to a large rock nearby and sat down before answering. "Because you are much slower as a boy Ranma. You need to retrain yourself in speed before you can train in power. If you've noticed when you train in a weak area in a form that the effects carry almost exponentially to your other form?"

"Well, yah I have noticed." He answered looking a little confused. "But these speed exercises you are having me do would be easier in my female form"

"Ranma my boy, don't ever take the easy path. That's what my previous two students always took. And after a while it was much easier to be the master that they expected to keep them in line, rather than the master that I should have been. Don't waste your youth like your father did. You have too much talent." As he said this Happosai lit up his ever-present pipe. "Besides, I can't wait to see the face on your father when he finds out how good you really can be."

"Ok master Happosai, what's next then?" Ranma asked Happosai, serious but a bit confused.

"Next, you need to run. Fast as you can, and don't use your phase powers to go through buildings this time. I'll meet you at your house." Happosai vanished in a blur of motion that left Ranma standing in the clearing in the park.

"But home is on the other side of Tokyo..." Ranma muttered quietly. "Oh well, time to retrain some reflexes I guess." With that Ranma nearly blurred from sight as well.

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The house was quite at this time of day. Nobody really coming or going, the chores done, the fathers quietly playing a game of Shogi on the porch, the sun gently bathed the house in a soft golden hue.

Yet Kasumi was far from serene. Inside she fumed about the injustice of it all. Ranma was gone, their trouble should have been over. Genma should have left after his son had disappeared. Especially since in all appearance Ranma had disappeared by his own choice.

And yet her father played his never ending game with Genma. Nabiki was still neck deep in her schemes, as she followed one nefarious mercenary plan to another. Akane still complained about Ranma, always muttering something about how she'll show him who's the best. Muttering about how she had figured out how the idiot had cheated all the time.

Kasumi just wished that things would become calm again. Calm like they were before the year started. Before the idiot named Kuno had made his initial proclamation that caused Akane's life to spiral downwards so fast that she hadn't been prepared for a boy like Ranma. Yet things weren't calm. Ranma's friends, the Amazons, had been making a lot of trouble for her family recently. Akane had barely survived her latest encounter with Shampoo, she still had a small wound on her upper arm because of it. The only good to come of her endangerment was that Father had decided to release the seal on an ancient training Dogi for Akane to wear at all times.

Also for some reason her father had set up a meeting between her and some complete stranger. Worse yet, the man had all but demanded of her father that she was to be either a servant or concubine. Kasumi didn't know what to do, the meeting was scheduled for tonight. Nearly a week had passed and they hadn't heard a thing from the strange man. Her father passed it off as the man had forgotten. But Kasumi knew that she wasn't that lucky. Ever since her mother had died she had never been lucky. Forced to be the mother figure for the family she was never able to date in high school. Not having any free time as a teenager because her worthless father refused to do any work. Making end's meet with the meager amount of money in the family trust fund.

"Kasumi dear, could you fetch us some iced tea?" Came Soun's voice from the porch. Kasumi got up from where she sat in the dining room so do as she was told. However her thoughts were vastly different than the vapid expression that was plastered on her face. _(One day I'll be free of you father, one day and I'll be rid of your stupid promises and your stupid friends.) _

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Nodoka was raking out the sands of her rock garden when something alighted on the rock directly in front of her. The middle-aged woman nearly jumped out of her skin as the blur resolved itself to be the diminutive master of Anything Goes. "Happosai, so help me, I'll skewer you with my sword next time you do that."

The old man looked up at her, his eyes shimmered with innocence and mild hurt almost as if he were a puppy that just got kicked. "You wouldn't want to do in an old man would you?" He whined.

Nodoka snorted in mild derision as she answered. "Yes I would, if you insist on startling me." Her expression changed to a more introspective and curious one. "How has training my son been going?"

"Well, he takes to the art as a fish would to water. Much better than his father did I might add." Happosai jumped off the rock in the rock garden to the path 10 feet distant. "If only Genma hadn't locked me up in that blasted cave. I would've liked to be involved in his early training." Happosai waived as if in the direction of Ranma. "Perhaps then none of this would have happened."

"But you can't change what my foolish husband has done."

"No."

"Then what will you do now? So much time has been lost because of my husband's pig-headedness. At least I can now watch over my son." Nodoka said in a hopeful voice.

"Actually I'm glad you asked about what I'll do now." Happosai said looking strait at Nodoka. She looked at him curiously in response. "I've been teaching Ranma for a week now. I think that he is skilled enough to go back to school and to start to deal with his past."

"After only a week?" The woman asked with some disbelief evident in her voice.

"Yes, only a week." Happosai answered. "He has retained a lot of muscle memory. I think that he'll be able to defend himself well enough between his martial arts skill and his new powers."

"But what will we do about school? Thanks to the hospital and the JSDF officer Ranma is currently listed as a girl. Every time that he's come by to investigate my husband I've had to have Ranma in his girl form. I'm glad to be able to spend time with my son as well as my daughter now. But shouldn't Ranma have the choice of what gender he'll be in when going through his daily life." A concerned Nodoka said.

Happosai sat on the rock for a minute in contemplation. Just as Nodoka was about to speak he held up one hand to forestall her. "I think it would be best for Ranma to return to Furinken high school as a girl." Happosai held up his hand with only one finger up, he tapped that finger with his pipe held in his other hand. "First, no one at the school really knows about his curse. And his curse is much easier to hide in girl form than guy form." He held up another finger and tapped it with his pipe. "Second, though most of Ranma's suitors know of his curse, most of them treat him better in his girl form." Happosai held up a third finger and tapped that one with his pipe as well. "Third, it will be good training for Ranma, especially if he ever regains his memory. Before his amnesia he was a self centered snot nosed punk, thought too highly of himself; and was far beyond over-confident. He is a better person now. More prone to thinking something through, and better able to deal with life away from martial arts." Happosai held up a fourth finger and tapped it with his pipe. "And fourth, Ranma will probably always have his curse. I don't think that the cures for a Jusenkyo curse will work on him now. So he'll just have to accept it and learn how to live as both a boy and a girl. We can work with him as a boy at home, and allow him to make friends and socialize as a girl at school." Happosai closed his hand and put it down into his lap as he sat and continued to talk to Nodoka. "He will need balance in his life, especially since he will no longer have his fathers teachings to support that ego of his. I'll watch over him at school, and continue his training. You need to be there to support Ranma at home." Happosai finished and then looked just past Nodoka. "Speak of the devil and he will appear." The old man took a quick breath and hollered out. "RANMA! Back yard! And I told you to stay in your male form!"

Ranma-chan came around the corner, her red Chinese shirt was dry but her black silk pants were soaking wet. She twiddled her fingers together a little bit as she answered in an embarrassed voice. "Would you believe that I went through a water truck?"

"Doesn't matter. You should be able to phase through the water like you phase through any solid object." Happosai countered.

"But my curse still activates, and when it activates I loose my concentration." She replied looking over at the aged martial artist with a bit of defiance in her eyes.

"Then you need better concentration. Meditation practice tonight. Go sit in the glade, I'll be with you shortly." Happosai turned to Nodoka, while Ranma-chan groaned as she turned around and left the rock garden. "Nodoka, do you have two hoses and some moving or rotating sprinkler heads?"

Nodoka looked at Happosai with a questioning expression. "I need them to activate Ranma's curse while he meditates. One is for hot water the other for cold. It should help him overcome his inability to phase through water."

"Yes I have what you need. Mind if I watch?"

"By all means." Happosai answered with a mischievous grin on his face.

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Ranma entered the house with a grumpy expression and a bright red flush on his face. He was completely soaked with water, much of it dripping onto the floor where he stood. Behind him his mother entered the house and walked around him, an amused smirk plastered on her face. Happosai entered right behind her with a sever fit of the giggles.

"You two don't have to laugh so much." Ranma grumped as he folded his arms over his chest.

Nodoka answered, laughter threatening to break out. "But you're just so cute like that."

"It's not my fault that my clothes would do that." Ranma grumped again.

Happosai did his best to talk while nearly bowled over with laughter. "You need to concentrate better." He laughed a bit and recomposed himself before continuing. "You were changing forms so quickly that you only concentrated on the water. Forgetting your clothes." As Ranma blushed again, this time unable to meet anyone's eyes, Happosai burst out into a fresh bout of laughter.

Nodoka laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You'll figure it out eventually. At least we now know that your girl form is a natural red head." She added as her smirk almost turned into another fit of giggles.

Ranma, on the other hand, turned a fire engine red and disappeared in a blur that flickered up the stairs. Nodoka was left there blinking and holding her son's red shirt in her hand. She looked down at his pants that were on the floor lying below his shirt, and then over to meet the gaze of the old martial arts master as they both broke out in fresh peals of laughter.

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The home was quiet as Akane lounged in the living room, she sullenly stared at the TV as she watched a program that was very boring to her. She raised her arm, palm pointed towards the television and flexed her arm slightly. A thin silvery line shot out from her palm and tapped the power button on the TV. As the screen flickered off Akane grinned to herself watching the line disappear back into her palm. Akane pointed her arm towards the kitchen and flicked the line out again though this time she twisted her arm quickly and the silvery line did a 90-degree turn as it shot towards the table in the dining room. Akane twisted her arm back and forth in rapid succession and then flinched her forearm in a different manner. The thin cord retracted into her arm in a blink and a mangled loaf of bread dropped into her lap. She frowned at the loaf, which was pinched in the middle and had plastic sticking into it as if someone had attempted to cut into it with a dull knife.

"You just need more practice." Came Ryoga's voice from behind her.

Startled Akane jumped back, with a quick flip in the air she brought her arms up and flicked both her palms at Ryoga. The silvery shimmering line shot at Ryoga while he brought his arms up to block. The second they touched an arc of electricity covered the distance between her and the boy, instantly burning the sleeves of his coat away and scorching the air into a nice fresh ozone scent. Before the girl could retract her cords Ryoga's metallic arms reformed themselves into broad shields in front of him and both folded downward, each one enclosing on a cord. "Don't be so jumpy Akane. Save your aggression for Ranma."

Akane looked mildly abashed as she lowered her arms. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to this power, as well as this Dogi." She said motioning her head towards her arms that were encased an almost Chinese designed outfit. It had a leotard like body, a metal belt with a kanji symbol on the buckle, long sleeves and slacks that fitted to her form, black and white trim as well as other fine cloth that made up the rest of the material.

"Then let's practice. School starts tomorrow, and I'd like to join you. But you need to control yourself so that you can focus on the Amazons and Ranma." Ryoga said to placate her while he thought to himself. _(With both of us enhanced, Ranma won't stand a chance. I'll finally be able to have my revenge.)_ He looked over at Akane's backside in admiration as she walked towards the dojo _(My revenge and his girl. Life is sweet.)_

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Genma stepped around the corner of the living room at the Tendo house just seconds after Ryoga and Akane left. He tapped his finger to his chin in contemplation for a second before he turned to leave the way he entered.

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Cologne wasn't sure that this was the best way to do things. But who was she to question the elders. Especially when they asked the Powers that be for guidance. She took out the artifact that arrived with their answer. "XIAN PU!" she cried out.

"Yes great grandmother?" Came the bubbly reply from below.

"Come here Xian Pu." Cologne called down to Shampoo as she hopped around the room preparing the ceremonial ritual.

"I'm here great grandmother. What you need?" She asked with a vacant expression.

(Chinese for now Xian Pu. Use Chinese.) Cologne said.

(Thank you honored Elder. I still cannot understand everything even I say in that tongue.) Shampoo said in relief.

(No one can understand you in that tongue Xian Pu. They underestimate you when you talk, it was once an advantage. Now it is a hindrance.) Cologne stated as she drew a line on the floor with her finger. Finished with her tracery the Amazon Elder stood up and chanted in an arcane language.

#(Spirits of the Ancients, Laying undisturbed for centuries unknown)# Cologne lowered her hands down to her waist area, palms pointed downward.

#(Powers that Be, called in times of trouble)# She raised her hands from where they were in an arc, palms facing outward until her palms were facing up above her head.

#(Heed my Voice, Heed my Call, And Heed My Spirit)# Cologne then slammed her arms and palms downward, to hit something in mid air above the outermost line that she had been tracing in the floor.

#(Brace this space for ritual, Encase this space for trial, Remake this space for rite.)# A blue shimmer flew from her hands to the construct that was forming beneath her. The lines flowed out from her palms, coalescing into being to form a wide circle filled with runes on the floor, Shampoo in the center of them where she stood. As soon as the blue energy tracery connected on the other side of the circle Cologne stepped back.

#(Eternal Watchers heed my call and release your power upon my heir)# The knee-high wall of energy sprang up to head height before closing in a dome over Shampoos head. Shampoo herself had a blank vacant expression on her face, and a light blue color swirled behind her eyes. A small clatter and a low squawk sounded from somewhere behind Cologne. The old Matriarch paid it no heed as she continued chanting.

#(Coalesce upon this girl the energies from beyond, and fill her with your very essence)# The Amazon matriarch paused in her chant as she backed up. The energy started to spin in a counterclockwise direction while Cologne continued to retreat from the circle. Shampoo became less and less visible as the energy spun to become less translucent to an opaque consistency.

#(PERVADE, INSTILL, IMBUE!!!)# Cologne shouted, as the energy seemed to reach critical mass. The echo of her last shout still moved like a living thing as the energy appeared to shatter reality. Mere moments or eternity after the last voice and energy reverberation cleared the room Cologne collapsed into a heap where she stood. Several old artifacts in the room shattered in sequence. An old trunk imploded in upon itself before a jade figuring next to Cologne ran like wax into the floor. The old woman watched as many prized artifacts that she had set out before the ritual became nothingness then stated. "Now I wait, and hope it was worth it."

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Mouse wasn't sure what to do. After witnessing what had happened to Shampoo he fled from the Amazons. He hid in the park in his cursed form among the ducks as he thought back on what had happened before.

Several weeks ago he had returned to the Nekohauten after mortally wounding Ranma. Mouse had thought that after Ranma disappeared from Nerima that Shampoo might at least notice him, he knew that he may never get her to love him, but he hoped to at least get something more than complete scorn.

However, once Cologne discovered Ranma's disappearance as well as Mouse's inability to talk about it she forbade Mouse from returning home. Stuck at the Nekohauten as Shampoo and Cologne became more and more desperate to find Ranma, Mouse had taken to hiding from them for extended periods of time. He thought to himself about the time when he knew it was truly going south. Shampoo had gone after Akane shortly after Ryoga had turned up bragging about defeating Ranma. Akane had accused Shampoo of sleeping with the pig tailed martial artist and Shampoo nearly lost it. She had attacked Akane mercilessly using killing blows for the first time since coming to Nerima. If Akane hadn't somehow managed to stun Shampoo she would have been killed. Afterwards Ryoga had shown up and retreated with Akane towards the Tendo Dojo. Mouse had taken the senseless Amazon to the Nekohauten for Elder Cologne to attend, after that Cologne had disappeared into her inner room for 2 days. At the end of the second day she had summoned Shampoo and trapped her in a blue hued energy well.

Once he saw the fate that Shampoo had encountered Mouse decided that being an outcast was better than the eternal imprisonment that his fellow Amazon had gone to endure. As he ran through the streets he didn't notice the puddle before he tripped in it. Instantly turned into a duck, Mouse quacked mournfully before someone picked him up. He turned his neck to face his adversary and saw the nozzle of some form of aerosol can.

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Ranma awoke to a small beeping noise next to his bed. After a couple of minutes he reaches over and shuts it off. After he yawned a bit he went into the furo and cleaned up.

While Ranma was completing his morning routine Nodoka was downstairs cooking breakfast. As she hummed a tune from a TV show she once heard her son came down the stairs and stopped in the kitchen doorway.

"Good Morning Ranma" Nodoka said as she waived towards the kitchen table. "Why don't you sit down and I'll have breakfast ready in a minute."

"Thanks Mom." He said while he sat.

After a couple of minutes Nodoka placed some rice, miso soup, and fried fish in front of her son. "Ranma, are you ready for your first day back at school?" She asked.

Her son looked at her then got up and went to the sink. He splashed himself with cold water quickly and then went to sit back down. "Guess I'll be ready as soon as I get dressed. Not sure I can get used to this though."

Nodoka placed her hand on her son turned daughter's hand and replied. "It should be alright. At least we didn't have any problems with the school administrative board. Though I don't understand what they meant about it being easier now that the principals gone."

Ranma-chan just shrugged and ate her breakfast. After finishing she got up to go and change. She came back down dressed in a Furinken uniform and Nodoka had to suppress a laugh seeing her neo-daughter standing there. "What?" Ranma-chan said after seeing the smirk on her mothers face.

"Ranma, what have I told you about your underwear." Nodoka said trying to keep herself from laughing.

The neo girl blushed at her mothers comment and vanished back up the stairs in a swirl of skirts and crimson hair.

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"So let me get this strait. You'll offer a duck up for experimentation to get a... now how did you say it? 'Power Up'?" The scientist Gerald Talin asked sardonically. "And what would I need with a 'Duck'?" He continued laying on the sleaze and slime into his last sentence.

Genma sweated a bit under the scientist gaze, then firmed up his backbone a bit and glared back across the table at the man. "He's not just a 'Duck', Gerald. He's Jusenkyo Cursed like me. And I've worked for you in the past." He shot back.

"Yes, you did get us that remarkable plans for building an augmented human. But why do you think that I'd want something so... Mundane... as a Jusenkyo cursed boy?" the seedy man asked as a gleam passed over his glasses.

Genma Saotome thought for a minute and decided to continue. "Because, with both him and myself enhanced we'll be able to capture my worthless son. Then I'll be able to continue what I started with him, while you are able to continue your experiments. So what do you say?" The martial artist said while leaning forward.

"Very well, but I will take the lad one way or another." Dr. Tarant stated as he leaned back in his seat.

"Fine take the duck. But what will you be doing to me?"

Dr. Gerald Tarant just grinned and looked at Genma like he was a slab of meat.

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Ranma-chan entered the school lot without a lot of fanfare. Actually no one really noticed her. She went up to the administrative offices and talked to the secretary. After she handed the note to the school secretary the older woman sat back at her computer and started to type for a couple of minutes. Once she finished she looked at Ranma-chan who was still standing in front of her desk. "Ranma Saotome?" She said as she looked up from her computer.

"Yes Ma'am?" Ranma-chan replied.

"Hmm... Funny," The secretary said while looking at her computer monitor again. "Any relation to a Male Ranma Saotome?" She asked.

"Not really, I'm the only Ranma Saotome I know." Ranma-chan answered, not really happy about skirting the edge of truth that she and her mother had decided upon incase a question like this came up.

"Never mind then. Here's your homeroom and study schedule. A set of textbooks are over there. Please sign for them here." The secretary said pointing first to some books at the side of the room, and next to a form in front of her. "Have a good time Miss Saotome. And welcome to Furinken High."

Ranma-chan gathered up the textbooks after signing the form and hurried to her class. Entering the classroom sedately she walked to the teacher and handed him a slip from the school secretary. The teacher interrupted his lesson to read her message and then turned to the class. "Sorry to interrupt you, but I have a transfer student here that just started today." He turned to Ranma-chan and continued. "Please introduce yourself."

Ranma-chan bowed to the class "I'm Ranma Saotome, sorry to interrupt your class." She said being careful to use the feminine speech patterns her mother had been drilling into her.

On the other side of the classroom Ukyo was sitting in her boy's school uniform and trying to figure out what had happened to her fiancé Ranma when one of the guys turned and poked her in the side. "Psst... Hey Ukyo. You know her?" The boy whispered into the cross dressers ear.

The Okonomiaki chef quickly shook her head and looked at the young red haired girl trying to place the youth with what she knew of her Ranma. She quieted down before the teacher could notice her talking with some of the guys next to her. Determined to find out what has happened to Ranma Ukyo decides to corner the boy turned girl at lunch.

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As soon as the Lunch bell rang Ranma-chan jumped up and ran out of the classroom. She quickly ran to the restroom and jumped strait up phasing through the ceiling. Once up on the roof she sat down and ate her lunch in solitude.

Meanwhile down in the schoolyard Ukyo was looking for the wayward pig tailed girl. (_Funny, I could have sworn that Ranchan would be down here during lunch_) she thought as she went to the tree that Ranma would usually sit under during lunch. (_Akane's gone today, Ranchan's in girl form and seems to be registered as a girl_) She continued in her line of thought while looking around for her fiancée. (_Something's defiantly going on._)

So lost in thought and search for her as she sought out her wayward fiancée the chef missed someone calling her name till a girl stepped directly in front of her and waived her hand in Ukyo's face. "Ukyo..." She said while looking directly into the chef's eyes.

Ukyo, meanwhile, backpedaled in startlement as a person seemingly appeared out of nowhere in front of her. "Wha.." She said, so befuddled for a second that the other girl was able to take advantage of her silence to ask a question. "Do you know that Ranma? She looks something like the other Ranma Saotome. Are they cousins?" The girl blurted out quickly.

Ukyo thought for a second and then answered. "I don't know. I would like to find that out myself." While she added in thought to herself (_And I wonder why he's at school in girl form too._)

Ukyo continued to look for Ranma-chan till near the end of lunch. As she had no luck the girl quickly went back to her class to eat her lunch before the next bell rang.

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Nodoka picked up the phone at her house after a few rings. "Yes, can I help you?" She answered into the receiver.

"...."

"Yes, this is Nodoka." She answered to the question on the other line.

"...."

"That would be fine. After school would be great Nabiki. Where would you like to meet?"

"...."

Nodoka nodded to herself after hearing what the other person had to say. "That would be great. I'll see you then." She hung up the phone then turned to ask Happosai something but stopped seeing him bound out the door dressed in an odd outfit of dark purple with a hankercheif over his head and face carrying a empty sack over his shoulder. "That was weird." She said to herself as she closed the front door following the diminutive old master outside.

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Ranma-chan was sitting in the locker room at the end of gym class. All had gone well so far for the amnesiac girl, the school day was coming to an end, her curse hadn't been activated, and no one had really bothered her. Maybe things would turn out for the best.

While Ranma-chan was changing there was an altercation happening at the entrance to the girls locker room. One of the boys in Ranma-chans class was having an argument with one of the girls in the same class.

After some heated words between the two of them she slapped him, which knocked him into the door right as a fully dressed Ranma-chan exited. The boy cursed, something about un-cute tomboys, as he quickly got out of the locker room before some other girl could hit him. All the other girls in the area just snickered and went about their business, however a cord had been struck in Ranma-chans memory. Flashes of other times that she had heard or uttered that same phrase. As well as memories of being the recipient of a slap similar to what that hapless guy had received.

After a bit, a slightly dazed and thoughtful Ranma-chan made her way back home. Unaware that her stride had changed from the feminine posture that her mother had been drilling into her into the gait that she used to use as a guy over a month ago.

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She was lost in thought on her way home. The girl turned a corner still thinking on what had happened after gym this afternoon, (_un-cute? Why would he say that?_) She thought while she turned down another street. (_even so, why did she hit him?_) So lost in thought was the crimson haired girl that she missed that she had picked up a person following her discretely behind. (_I mean, he didn't do anything wrong, except insult her a bit._) Her pursuer continued to close on the distracted girl. (_Oh well. Guess that there's nothing I can do._) As she thought that last thought she came back to her senses and looked around her. The first thing that she noticed was that the street was vacant. And someone was running up directly behind her.

"Wha..?!" She exclaimed as the guy brought up both his hands and pointed his fingers at her. Not quite sure what was happening Ranma-chan watched as the fingers turned slightly silvery and seemed to elongate towards her. The boy got to within 5 feet of her and then his silver fingers elongated further and spiked towards the unwary girl. At the last instant Ranma-chan ducked down and to the side flinging her book bag towards the wall she was next to. She thought that she was free and clear untill the silver streaks above her slashed downward and sliced into her clothes and through her. Feeling a little bit of pain along her skin where the metal passed and a bit of breeze as the right side of her uniform came clear of her shoulder Ranma-chan decided to retreat for now. As soon as she made her decision she turned slightly translucent and phased into the ground below her.

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Ryoga transversed the streets of Nerima as he tryed to find his long time rival. Not sure where the pig-tailed youth had disappeared to he fell back on one of his oldest and best truisms on how to find Ranma: Wander around blaming the youth for all of his problems untill he caught up with the student of Anything Goes Martial Arts.

After most of the day wandering around he finally found his rival, but noticed something amiss. Ranma was in girl form and wearing a girl's uniform. Confused about his enemy Ryoga decided to follow her to determine if Ranma was getting ready to lay a trap for him, or perhaps to try to trick him like she had done many times before. After a few turns in the street following Ranma-chan from a distance Ryoga decided just to take her out and worry about what might be happening later. However now that he was sure that he was superior to her he decided to just end it now.

Ryoga lifted his arms and concentrated to bring out the liquid metal that now composed his limbs and blood. As he willed his power to come forth Ranma-chan turned around and spotted him. He thought his chance lost for a quick death so Ryoga shot his fingers forward. Elongating the silvery metal like digits untill they would pierce her heart. Before they could reach her though she dropped down to the ground flinging her bag to the side. Immediately Ryoga brought his fingers down, turning the downward side to a blade as they went. He felt them bite into Ranma-chans clothing, and even saw them cut through her. But somehow she survived even as she started to shimmer and become translucent, almost like a ghost. She narrowed her eyes as she sank into the earth right in front of him.

Disbelief flowed through the vengeful martial artist as his nemesis disappeared into the ground. Growling in rage Ryoga stormed over to where she had sunk. Instead of withdrawing his fingers back into their normal shape, he turned them into a rough spade shovelhead and started to bash into the street. After a minute or two though he had to give up and accept defeat. As quickly as he was digging it was nowhere near as quick as his foe had sunk into the earth. Since Ranma could be anywhere by now Ryoga decided to just leave and try to catch her some other time.

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Lt. Kojira sat in his unmarked utility van near the Tendo residence in Nerima. He had just arrived to set up his surveillance equipment to try to observe Genma Saotome either entering or leaving the area. Kojira walked to the back of his van where an advanced computer set up lined one side, and a frame holding several parts that appeared to be armor or attachments of some sort. After he set up the systems and passive visual and audio sensors the JSDF Lt. got up and left the van out the back. He turned around and shut the door, then slid up his left sleeve and looked down at a small computer screen on a forearm bracer. Seeing that the display showed the Tendo household on one side and different characters and touch sensitive buttons on the other, Kojira pulled down the sleeve to conceal the console again and went down the street.

After not even two blocks a small beep beep sounded from his left arm. The JSDF officer stopped and stepped to the wall while he pulled his sleeve up on his jacket again to look at his display. Several characters were flashing on the left side of it while the right side showed everything as normal. He briefly touched several of the buttons in rapid succession and the scene switched to the interior of his van. Nothing seemed remiss until he observed that the back was open. After several other keys were tapped the scene switched from normal view to something akin to heat or infravision. In the center of the van sat the slightly plump form of a middle-aged man sporting a malevolent grin.

"Breaker take me for a fool!!" The JSDF Officer cursed as he turned and ran back to the van. On his way back he turned a dial on his belt and pulled out a large bore matte black gun out of his jacket holster and carried it in his right hand. He ran around the corner with his gun held to the ready, still cursing himself under his breath. He saw that there wasn't anything out of place at first other than the back of the van was slightly open. Once he was beside the vehicle he quickly turned his vision to the screen on his forearm.

No one was in the vehicle when he looked on it.

Before Kojira could look anywhere a voice boomed from behind him. "Thought to take me by surprise?" Instead of turning around, Kojira dove forward and came to a kneeling position after a rolling somersault on the ground. Before he could train his gun on Genma's position something hit his right shoulder in a corona of energy that washed about one inch over his form. He gasped to himself as he jumped strait up into the air when another wave of force came crashing through where he had been kneeling not a minute earlier. In mid arch through the air Kojira pulled the trigger on his gun and a pulse of searing plasma tore out of the gun barrel shooting forward much faster than a bullet towards where Genma had been standing.

Genma was taken by surprise by the speed of the plasma bolt and took it in the gut, grunting out in pain as the plasma burnt his chest. Kojira landed from his jump and then walked over to where Genma was slumped down with a hand over the burn wound.

Lt. Kojira loomed over the fallen martial artist for a minute before saying. "Genma Saotome, for your many crimes you shall pay. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Genma looked up at the smug officer and grinned again. "Think you're so smug. Pretty pleased?" Then he coughed up a small bit of blood. "Don't think you've won yet." He finished with a snarl. As Kojira tried to figure out what Genma had said the middle-aged martial artist's skin started to quake and tremble.

Having decided not to wait for what ever Genma was going to turn into Lt. Kojira turned and slapped a device on his belt. In response a panel on the roof of his van shot off in a small explosion and a silver cylinder shot up into the air and moved in a low ballistic course to the north. As soon as the cylinder shot off Kojira ran towards the direction that it shot too.

The JSDF Officer gasped for breath as soon as he caught up with his package and opened up the side of the container to reveal pieces of armor. He rapidly donned the armor, and was eventually encased in a set of powered battle armor, he now stood 8 feet tall, with a matt gray armored shell around him. A featureless faceplate scanned the area around him as he brought a much larger version of his plasma gun up at the ready. On his back was a small pair of wings with thruster nozzles on the tips, and a pair of much heavier thrusters on the back of the unit.

Satisfied that there was nothing in that direction LT. Kojira turned around only to come face to face with a demonic looking Panda. The creature stood just over ten feet tall, and had incredibly muscular arms and legs. Its torso was much less round than a Panda's as well, and the fur was more sparse. But probably the most frightening thing about the creature was the near humanoid features on its face. The muzzle broke into a terrifying snarl as the thing spoke in a guttural Japanese. "Thought you could get away this time... DIE!!!" The thing that used to be Genma Saotome yelled as it lunged for the powered armor.

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The house was empty when Ranma-chan returned home. After she called out to see if anyone was there and received no replies the small girl jumped strait up and phased through the ceiling. A couple of moments passed and then she phases back through the floor wearing a dark colored robe.   
  
Ranma-chan then goes to the kitchen and hooks up the garden hose lying next to the sink. She turned it on and looked out the window where the hose continued onto the lawn. Ranma-chan grinned a bit as she saw that one of the sprinklers was on before she turned and headed outside.

Once outside she turned on the other hose and went over to where the two streams overlapped. As she rapidly changed from one form to another the boy/girl sat down in the streams of water and shut his/her eyes After a few moments of concentration the amnesiac boy/girl started to shimmer a bit, seaming to fade slightly out of reality to a ghost like state. While in this state Ranma stopped shifting from boy to girl and back and remained as a boy. However he didn't notice that his robe had fallen through his ghostlike form to pool on the grass underneath him.

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Two women were sitting down in an outdoor café, the older one wore a traditional Kimono while the younger one was dressed in a professional business skirt and blouse combo.

"Nodoka, I've uncovered some disturbing news about your wayward husband. The information is in this portfolio" Nabiki said as she slid the thick portfolio marked Genma across the table to the older woman. Nodoka picked up the folder and started to read the materials inside as Nabiki continued.

"So far as I've been able to determine, Genma has been acting as a industrial spy and saboteur for the last decade or so. Along with the schemes that I've personally seen I would say that he's a class one thief and a very good con artist. Nothing like the petty criminal I first took him to be."

Nodoka continued to read, her face got whiter and whiter as she continued on. About halfway through she looked up at Nabiki in a state of mild shock. "How bad is it?" She asked in a whimper.

"Bad Nodoka. Real bad. Some of the companies that he's ripped off are very large multinationals. I mean, he's stolen or destroyed things from companies such as Chronos, Radamu Labs, Noza Co, Genome, the Links Security Company, the WWWA. He's also attacked some government corporations such as the Terrestrial Administration Center, and the Science Garrison of the EDF. There's even a covert ops unit of the JSDF after him right now."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Keeping Ranma away from him. Turning him in to the proper authorities, but with his skill and history he might make a mockery out of any type of government official that tries to tangle with him."

"What do you mean make a mockery out of them?" Nodoka asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Well, according to one source." Nabiki said as she turned around the portfolio and turned to one of the pages. "Genma had attacked and slaughtered an experiment enhanced warrior in the EDF's main headquarters." She then looked up at Nodoka. "That building reported to have more than 100 armed men in their garrison. Not even some of the best American Special Forces could get in there unscathed. And your husband managed it on his own without backup." Nabiki looked back down at a different page of the portfolio before she continued. "According to this one he had attacked the main arsenal of the WWWA troubleshooting corporation. The 'Lovely Angels', a crack pair of troubleshooters by the way, were sent after him. They never found him or the prototype weapons that he managed to steal. After that he disappeared for a couple of years." The business minded older teenager closed the portfolio and folded her hands over it. "If he is even one tenth the skill necessary to pull off these heists then he's a force to be reckoned with. It might be wise to leave the country if needed."

"Thanks Nabiki. What do I owe you for this information?"

"I'll waive the rest of the fee. Just keep Ranma safe, and tell him I'll miss him."

"Miss him? Does my son mean much to you Nabiki?" Nodoka asked, getting a slight gleam in her eye.

"Yes, he was almost my brother in law. I kinda messed up my chances with him, but still cared for him. I just don't want to see him hurt."

"Well I thank you for your cander. If you'd like I can keep you appraised of his well being wherever we go."

"Thank you Nodoka-san. That would mean a lot to me." The sometime mercurial girl answered.

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The diminutive midget master of perversion bounded along merrily atop the rooftops of Nerima while he carried his latest sack of plunder. Everything had gone well and he was on his way home when he saw some battle damage of either Ki or plasma blasts near the Tendo Dojo. He followed the trail down the street where it vanished for a bit only to be picked up again a couple of miles to the north near a warehouse district. He lit down near the crumpled base of one of the buildings near where he sensed a strong life force. It didn't take long for the fallen brick and mortar to start to shake and a very badly battle scarred armored arm cleared some rubble off of the matte gray torso of LT. Kojira's armor. The JSDF Officer took off is helmet to reveal some singed hair and a split lip. He spit out some blood and glanced over at Happosai.

Happosai sat there chuckling for a minute while the other man recuperated a bit. "Tangled with my student again huh? Better equipped than last time though I see." Kojira only nodded to this, still seemingly out of breath. "Looks like you took some licks, underestimated him again did you?" The little old man said with a smirk.

In Response Kojira just grinned a deaths head grin and reached down into the rubble under him and pulled the naked and torn body of Genma Saotome from beneath the brick and mortar. "Who underestimated whom this time?"

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Ranma was finishing up his meditation as he felt an angry presence entering the home. He slowly came out of his trance to see his mother fuming as she entered the back yard and shut off the sprinklers that were dousing him with hot and cold water. He stood up and came out of phase, then he picked up his robe that had fallen off of him and put it on before his mother could see his state of undress. Unfortunately he didn't realize that the robe was soaked and chill so he turned into a girl. Ranma-chan shrugged a bit and tightened the sash around her waist before she went to her mother. "What's wrong Mom?" The red haired girl asked.

"I just found out about your father. As well as his history." Nodoka said as she continued to fume. "After seeing this." This being the portfolio that Nabiki had supplied Nodoka with. "I will not condone any action that your father has done. I am divorcing him and striking him from the family registry."

Ranma-chan was a bit shocked by this but kept it to herself while she watched her mother calm down. "So what now?" She asked after her mother had paced for a few minutes.

"Now we wait, I need to call some people first." Nodoka said then took a look at her daughter. "Ranma, why are you soaking wet."

"I was meditating using Grandmaster Happosai's idea." She said.

"Well, go dry off and get into some clothes. We're going to start the paperwork to finalize the separation of Genma from our clan." The Saotome Matriarch stated with fire in her eyes.

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Authors Notes.

Sorry bout the long wait guys. Life kinda happened to me over the course of the spring and summer. But I've had this one waiting for my days to calm down for a bit till I can write again.


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